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Strengthening biosecurity capacity and engagement across the Asia Pacific

  • Newsletter
  • Plants
  • Biosecurity
15 November 2024

International capacity development specialists representing multiple areas of the department had a busy October undertaking several biosecurity scoping missions and delivering technical training activities across the Asia-Pacific region. These capacity building and engagement activities are an important part of the department’s role in strengthening regional biosecurity and facilitating regional trade and market access opportunities.

As part of this work, department staff visited Vanuatu on a biosecurity scoping mission to help expand regional biosecurity support, and Vietnam to deliver technical workshops building plant health surveillance and diagnostic capacity to support trade.

In Vanuatu, the team met with local counterparts and discussed opportunities for plant protection, bilateral animal health, border biosecurity and plant exports technical support, through the Pacific Biosecurity Partnership Program, which is coordinated by the Australian Chief Plant Protection Officer (ACPPO).

The department’s delegation included subject matter experts from a range of disciplines covering plant health, surveillance, plant import operations, animal health and biosecurity border operations.

Some of the topics discussed included assisting with export supply chain issues and understanding the Australian import process better, support for veterinary and animal health programs and a newly appointed Chief Veterinary Officer for the country, improved plant health surveillance methods to meet international standards, a biosecurity operations review and biosecurity refresher training for frontline staff.

The visit was much appreciated by Vanuatu Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity (MALFFB) staff, and provided valuable insights for the department’s delegation, who will now work in collaboration with their Australian partners and Vanuatu counterparts to develop a proposed support program for the country. The aim of this support program would be to improve agricultural production, food security and export opportunities for Vanuatu, in addition to reducing the potential spread of animal and plant pests and diseases throughout the region - including to Australia.

Image of two people standing in a field inspecting a lime tree
DAFF International Capacity Development Director, Mr Chris Dale and Vanuatu Acting Director of Biosecurity, Lindon Tari. (Image: Peter Pedersen)
Image of four people standing under a tarp, in front of rows of plants
DAFF Veterinary Officer Yushara Wijerathna in conversation with Vanuatu Biosecurity counterparts at a farm near Port Vila. (Image: Peter Pedersen)

In Vietnam, ACPPO has also been leading several technical training initiatives with Vietnamese plant protection counterparts through the bilateral Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy (VEEES). Surveillance and diagnostics specialists from the department, along with colleagues from CSIRO, have delivered several specialised technical activities and field training exercises to strengthen Vietnam’s surveillance and diagnostics capacity for trade sensitive plant pests.

The final diagnostic technical activity of the series on trade sensitive scale insects was delivered by one of the department’s scale insect specialists to Vietnamese plant protection scientists in Hanoi. The activity provided hands-on experience in preparing material and identifying mealybugs, as well as hard and soft scale insects of trade significance to Vietnam.

Image of a group of people standing in front of a banner on a wall
NAQS Senior Entomologist, Mr Michael Gorton, centre, with Vietnamese Plant Protection Department staff (Image: Michael Gorton)
Image of a group of people looking into microscopes
Vietnamese Plant Protection Department staff during the scale insect training. (Image: Michael Gorton)

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Page last updated: 29 November 2024

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

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