Australian biosecurity experts are assisting in the enhancement of regional biosecurity competence by participating in a major workshop sponsored by Indonesia for the Asia Pacific Plant Protection Commission (APPPC) Secretariat.
The workshop, which runs until 26 May in Bali, Indonesia, is the final in a series of six delivered by Australia under the APPPC work plan and aims to help production sites continuously meet international and regional standards.
Additionally, it completes the seven-year project by delivering a series of annual surveillance workshops that have enabled Australia to provide practical help for improving biosecurity outcomes while being able to share its expertise in plant health surveillance.
The event will be attended by approximately 30 participants from 15 countries across both the Asia and the Pacific regions and will feature case studies from Australia and Indonesia, as well as other APPPC member countries.
According to Australian Chief Plant Protection Officer Dr Gabrielle Vivian-Smith, the workshop brings together international bodies to strengthen regional and global biosecurity, as well as help protect Australia from exotic plant pests and diseases, and highlight the strength of its biosecurity system.
“Australia has a lot of knowledge and experience when it comes to pest-free areas and plant health surveillance, and we are happy to be able to share it with our region and collaborate with regional counterparts at these workshops,” she added.
“This workshop is the final one in a series that has been very well received over the last seven years. We are grateful to Indonesia for hosting and the APPPC Secretariat for their collaboration on this project,” Vivian-Smith said.
