Abstract:
From the presentations and reflections made by the participants
during the plenary session it was clearly showed that, even though
there were a number of success stories for PMSS in the Ethiopia and
the pest management support service system general situations have
been fully understood by decision makers in the MoA, the current
pest management support service in the country stands in its
weakest level and there is an urgent need to reinvigorate it.
Currently, Plant protection discipline and related issues received less
attention by decision makers. The indication was repeated
reorganization of the support service underwent; the weaker
organizational structure adopted, national plant protection
laboratories are not operational at the moment, low resource
allocation and limited capacity building. The career structure of
plant protection professionals, plant health clinic experts and the
quarantine post workers is very much undermined at national and
regional level. These resulted in the attrition of trained personals to
other better paid fields. Even from the research side, generation and
adaptation of new plant protection information and technologies
was very low. Moreover, in higher learning institutes fewer students
join plant protection fields of study and thesis researches in crop
protection conducted in all the Universities are uncoordinated, less
known to the crop protection community and not disseminated to
wicier users. Besides, the participation by plant protection
professionals in plant protection national forums including the annual conference of the PPSE has declined. Due to climate change
and weather shift a number of emerging and reemerging insect
pests, plant diseases and weeds threatening the agricultural
production of the country. The issue of postharvest pest
mmiagement and mycotoxin problem needs higher attention.
Pesticide use and human health hazard in an important issue to get
attention. It was also suggested that, in order to save the country
from the ravage of pests and to deliver effective PMSS, it is essential
th.it Ministry of Agriculture, EIAR, RARIs and all the principal
institution engaged in plant protection research, extension and
training activities should take the responsibilities and design
appropriate policy, strategy and legal frameworks and put in place
to assist implementation of PMSS.
