The STOSAR project has contributed to solving phytosanitary issues in Zimbabwe to increase productivity and exports and prevent the entry and spread of pests of economic importance through the capacity building of officials from Zimbabwe’s National Plant Protection Organisation. Once such training was held on Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) targeting plant health inspectors from around the country. This training was rolled out by Nhamo Mudada, an official from the Plant Quarantine Services Institute under the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.
“These trainings that have been extended to our local plant health officials have increased awareness and understanding on the importance of protecting our plant resources from pests. Staff can now fulfil their mandate to protect plant biosecurity which contributes positively to the Government of Zimbabwe’s Vision 2020,”
said Mudada. The STOSAR project, collaborating with the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI), provided Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) tools and rich resources for course participants to tap into. Georgina Kudakwashe, the Principal Plant Health Inspector in charge of the Plant Import and Export Office at Mazowe Plant Quarantine Station, was one of the beneficiaries of this training.
“The training organized by FAO was beneficial to plant health inspectors, like me, and I can now confidently conduct PRA within the shortest period, unlike before,” she said. “Following the training, I was given additional responsibilities at one of the biggest plant quarantine stations in Zimbabwe. Equipped with this new knowledge, I have also managed to train four other plant health inspectors who can now capably conduct PRA exercises”, declared Georgina. “The protection of plant resources from exotic plant pests is essential to the economic development of our country. We hope to achieve this by effectively managing plant pests and diseases occurring in Zimbabwe and by instituting appropriate biosecurity and phytosanitary measures,” concluded Georgina.