RIYADH: Plant health plays an important role in food security and ecological balance. As the world marks the International Day of Plant Health, attention is growing on measures to protect crops from transboundary pests and preserve natural resources amid climate change.
Saudi Arabia’s National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases is working to support the agricultural sector through a surveillance system that includes farm inspections, biosecurity measures at agricultural quarantine facilities, and laboratories for early pest detection and outbreak prevention.
The center also develops regulatory frameworks and emergency plans to support rapid response efforts and reduce agricultural pest risks.
Mohammed Al-Khuraiji, head of the plant health sector at the center, said plant protection in the Kingdom has expanded from traditional pest control to a broader biosecurity system supported by innovation and digital tools.
He added that the center aims to reduce the economic impact of plant pests by strengthening border controls and expanding reference laboratories, noting that plant health supports public health and economic activity.
