A vast coalition of partners from all over Europe has joined forces today to launch the second year of the #PlantHealth4Life campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the deep connections between plant health and our daily lives, encouraging citizens to take action to protect plant health. The campaign is led by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Commission (EC), and 22 European countries.

How does plant health affect our lives?

Plants make up 80% of the food we eat and clean the air we breathe. But that's not all: healthy plants mean good agricultural yields, which impact food availability and food prices for consumers.

Climate change and human activities such as trade and travel put plants under great pressure. The spread of plant pests and diseases can have devastating economic and environmental consequences. Think of potato blight, which in the mid-19th century led to a devastating crop loss that was a key factor in the Irish Potato Famine.

However, many European citizens are still not sufficiently aware of why plant health is important.

#PlantHealth4Life aims to raise collective awareness about the risks to plant health and the role each of us must play in protecting plants.

"Plant health impacts not only the environment, the economy, and the European food chain, but also our present and future – by keeping plants healthy, we protect life. Therefore, it is a source of pride to see how Europeans are engaged in the subject, as demonstrated by the unprecedented participation of member states in the #PlantHealth4Life campaign," said Tobin Robinson, head of EFSA's PLANTS Unit, who will present the campaign at the "Plant Health Without Borders" symposium organized by the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council.

"Informed European citizens, armed with accurate information about plant health, can contribute to protecting and preserving our biodiversity," said Claire Bury, Deputy Director-General for Food Sustainability at DG SANTE. "Plant health is a priority for the European Commission within the One Health approach. By informing people about the importance of not importing pests into the European Union and empowering them with the necessary knowledge to take appropriate action, we can make a difference."

About the campaign

#PlantHealth4Life is a multi-year, multinational campaign developed at the request of the EC and based on an in-depth analysis of perceptions and behavior regarding plant health across the EU. This year, the campaign involves 21 member states and one candidate country, doubling the coverage compared to the previous year: Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Montenegro.