With the covid19 impacts, most of our activities have shifted online and activities are performed maintaining social distances in our dailylife. Many of are busy talking about human health during this period but, environmental health does matter too. Plants are the important part of our ecosystem and they have too gone through pandemics like we are facing now. I am starting a new campaign where i will be sharing a series of article related to "Awareness on Plant Health". Here is the first article of the series on the topic: "Lets Think about Plant Health"

Human, the superior creature on earth has become the most selfish creature on the planet. Covid19 giving the space for the nature to live its full potential amidst of the pandemic world is facing gives the clear image how harsh we human have been. Albert Einstein said, “I know not with what weapons world war III will be fought, but world war IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” but what we can say is that, if the current situation persists for much longer period than expected, war might be fought for food and this won’t be just between countries but also been communities and with our own friends and families. 

“Health is Wealth” is a popular proverb everyone knows but what most of us understand is health refers to human health. We have seldom worried about animal health or plant health. Few people may even question, “Is there anything called plant health too?” But what was the first thing people were worried about when the lockdown was announced? Definitely, it was food. Consequences of this global emergency is the possibility of disrupted trade, which could in turn compromise access to safe and stable supply of food. Today, human intensions have been so narrowed to money and technology that  it even seems like people would have cared much about plants and plant health if plant had money fruiting on branches or provide internet service but then people don’t remember that they give us oxygen to breathe and food to eat.  Plant accounts for over 80% of human diet and 98% of the oxygen we breathe. 

Starting from a city in china, Covid19 outbreak has reached to almost all countries with over 12 million people being infected showing us that world must be careful with the travel of people as viruses, diseases and pest don’t take passports moving from one region to next. Covid19 outbreak experience highlights the need to ensure that plants are protected from the devastation of pest and disease. While Covid19 is affecting human health worldwide, plant pests and disease continue to pose threat to food production.  This is why taking steps to ensure a safe supply of fresh food and protecting plants from pests is now more important than ever.

Beneficial insects are vital for plant health – for pollination, pest control, soil health, nutrient recycling but data reports that insets abundance has fallen 80% in the last 25-30 years. In India in 1942-43, a severe outbreak of Brown Spot destroyed 50-90% of the rice crops and around one million people died during Irish Famine in 1845 due to late blight in potato as outbreaks have causing a massive famine in past. Plant pests are responsible for loses of upto 40% percent of food crops globally. American Fall Army seems to pose a great threat in maize production and related host in Nepal already making us to think about plant health seriously. New plant pests and disease are potentially threatening even more with climate change

All people when travelling, should be aware of potential danger of bringing plants, fruits and vegetable picked up abroad, as they could be spreading plant pests or disease. Plant quarantine should be made stronger ensuring its proper regulation. Plant health too requires rapid and coordinated response. It is time for us to act more decisively in a coordinated manner. Prevention costs less than treating and eradicating an outbreak. 

Protecting plant is protecting life. As we are staying at our home during lockdown it’s time to take actions locally. Each of us can help our keep plant healthy and our food secure. We can build our own kitchen garden to produce the vegetables we need, build flower garden, keep our surrounding clean and green, removing weeds as they harbor insects and pests. We can take online course about pesticides as pesticides hazard has been a serious issue to plant health. Along with plant health, pesticides are causing a huge threat to pollinators too. 1 out of every three bites of food we eat is there because of pollinators. We can practice integrated pest management methods. More awareness and attention to plant and their health is essential to ensure a better life. Let’s ensure food security through healthy plants.