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Millions of global agricultural crops are lost to pests annually- FAO

United Nations, May 12 (Prensa Latina) 40% of the world's crops are annually damaged by pests, an alarming situation and reason to commemorate the International Plant Health Day.

Our goal is to raise awareness of significance of plant health and the impact of plant health protection in cracking down on hunger, reducing poverty, protecting the environment as well as boosting economic development.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), annually up to 40% of global crop production is lost to pests. Each year, plant diseases cost the global economy over $220 billion, and invasive insects at least $70 billion.

It is estimated that agricultural crops will increase by approximately 60% by 2050 to meet population’s food needs.

Plus, plants constitute 80% of food consumed and generate 98% of the world’s oxygen.

The International Plant Health Day was established to contribute to fulfilling the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, referring to hunger and malnutrition eradication, poverty reduction and threats to environment.

Plant Health is a discipline that applies a set of measures aimed at controlling and preventing pests, weeds and other organisms causing plant diseases, in order to prevent them from spreading to other areas.

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