As part of the Work Programme of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) for 2026, and as a continuation of the strategic line of action on regional food sustainability, the Virtual Workshop: “Regional cooperation to improve plant health: sanitary and phytosanitary measures for environmental sustainability” will be held. This initiative directly addresses the urgent need to strengthen food security in SELA member states in the face of structural challenges exacerbated by climate change, the degradation of productive ecosystems and biological pressure from emerging pests (FAO, 2024).[1]

According to the guidelines of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO, 2025),[2] plant health forms the fundamental basis of life and global food security. Its contemporary approach lies at the heart of the comprehensive “One Health” approach, a cross-cutting governance framework jointly promoted by the FAO and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO). This approach unequivocally recognises the vital and interdependent links between human health, animal health, plant health and the preservation of environmental balances. Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS measures), under this logic, cease to be mere barriers or technical requirements for trade and instead become multisectoral tools aimed at mitigating the risks arising from the cross-border transport of pathogens, reducing populations’ exposure to chemical contaminants and ensuring long-term productive resilience (ECLAC, 2025).[3]

At the macroeconomic level, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is establishing itself as one of the world’s most dynamic agro-exporting regions, where the agricultural sector accounts, on average, for around 7% of regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, this picture reveals marked structural heterogeneity: whilst in more diversified economies such as Mexico or Chile the sector’s contribution stands at under 4% of GDP, in certain member states of Central America and the Caribbean it exceeds 15%, reaching levels of up to 20% in economies with a strong agricultural base such as Paraguay. Furthermore, the sector accounts for approximately 15% of total regional employment, acting as the main socio-economic driver in rural areas.

Consequently, safeguarding plant health through coordinated cooperation systems is essential to guarantee economic stability, mitigate epidemiological risks to human health and ensure compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, directly contributing to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

[1] United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). (2024). El estado mundial de la agricultura y la alimentación 2024: Mitigación de riesgos biológicos y resiliencia en los sistemas agroalimentarios. Rome: FAO.

[2] United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). (2025). La sanidad vegetal en el centro del enfoque integrador “Una Salud”. Rome: FAO.

[3] Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). (2025). Perspectivas de la agricultura y del desarrollo rural en las Américas: Una mirada hacia la sostenibilidad ambiental y la resiliencia fitosanitaria frente al cambio climático. Santiago, Chile: United Nations.

The plant health sector in Latin America and the Caribbean faces critical challenges arising from the convergence of interconnected global markets, the cross-cutting effects of climate change and the intensification of cross-border trade flows, which have accelerated the spread of emerging pests and diseases that directly threaten the stability of regional agri-food systems (FAO, 2025). [1]

Although the region acts as a cornerstone of global food security, national responses to plant disease outbreaks remain fragmented due to profound technical and financial disparities (ECLAC, 2025).[2] This heterogeneity is reflected in the pace of adoption of advanced technologies for ecosystem monitoring: whilst the leading countries in the region are embracing cutting-edge precision agriculture, smaller economies (particularly in Central America and the Caribbean) face structural barriers in terms of laboratory infrastructure, epidemiological surveillance and technical capabilities for border inspections.

By contrast, the agrotechnology market in Latin America was worth USD 2.6 billion in 2025. Looking ahead, the IMARC Group expects the market to reach USD 10.9 billion by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.90% over the period 2026–2034.[3] This analytical gap between multilateral organisations and the private sector highlights the urgent need to harmonise public measurement criteria, regulate biosafety standards in line with public health approaches, and prevent the technological divide from exacerbating agricultural production inequalities among member states.

This need to harmonise measurement criteria and bridge the technological gap is essential for strengthening regional governance. In this context, the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures currently in force in LAC combine traditional trade regulations with emerging operational strategies for environmental sustainability and community health. Regional phytosanitary governance bodies, such as the International Regional Organisation for Agricultural Health (OIRSA), in coordination with national ministries of agriculture, have promoted the transition from a purely reactive approach towards preventive models based on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and the systematic reduction of highly hazardous synthetic chemical pesticides—an effort strongly supported by the PAHO to prevent the poisoning of rural workers and the contamination of locally consumed food.

Currently, the MSFs in place focus on three key areas, in line with the technical action frameworks defined by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC/FAO, 2025)[4]:

1. Electronic Phytosanitary Certification (ePhyto): customs digitalisation mechanisms to streamline biological traceability at international ports of entry and exit.

2. Satellite-based Epidemiological Surveillance: the use of remote sensing and climate intelligence to predict pest vectors under scenarios of water stress or temperature variability. 

3. Promotion of Bio-inputs and Biosafety: regulations aimed at standardising and authorising the use of biological control agents (beneficial bacteria, fungi and insects) as viable alternatives to conventional agrochemicals, thereby minimising antimicrobial resistance and toxicological impacts.

In light of this context and the ongoing changes brought about by technological advances, it is proposed that this virtual workshop be held. It is designed to function as a technical catalyst to refine and harmonise the public agricultural policies of each Member State, directly linking SPS measures with national objectives for environmental sustainability and public health.

In the same vein, the workshop will provide the conceptual, epidemiological and methodological basis to enable the region’s ministries of agriculture, health and the environment to break down traditional institutional silos. This will facilitate the co-design of regulations that safeguard plant health, recognising the direct impact that an agricultural ecosystem free from harmful chemicals has on the prevention of human disease and planetary health.

[1] United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). (2025). La sanidad vegetal en el centro del enfoque integrador “Una Salud”. Rome: FAO.

[2] Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). (2025). Perspectivas de la agricultura y del desarrollo rural en las Américas: Una mirada hacia la sostenibilidad ambiental y la resiliencia fitosanitaria frente al cambio climático. Santiago, Chile: United Nations.

[3] IMARC Group. (2025). Latin America agritech market: Industry trends, share, size, growth, opportunity and forecast 2026-2034. [Informe de mercado].

[4] International Plant Protection Convention [IPPC]. (2025). Normas internacionales para medidas fitosanitarias: Directrices globales para la protección del patrimonio vegetal y la facilitación del comercio seguro. Rome: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation [FAO].

The aim is to promote a forum for technical dialogue and regional cooperation to strengthen national capacities in the field of plant health and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS), under the “One Health” approach and with a view to ensuring environmental sustainability and food security in the region; and to identify the main challenges and opportunities for the adoption and implementation of innovative technological tools and updated regulatory frameworks in the region.

At the same time, this initiative aims to contribute to the design and implementation of public policies that ensure coordinated progress in improving plant health, by promoting common standards and integrated actions across all countries.

1. To promote the exchange of best practices, lessons learnt and success stories between SELA member countries and specialised technical bodies, highlighting efficient Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methodologies, the use of bio-inputs, and strategies for reducing chemical risk within the framework of the “One Health” approach.
2. To encourage the adoption of innovative technological tools that strengthen the sustainability of agri-food systems, improving their efficiency, traceability and resilience in the face of environmental and health challenges.
3. To contribute to a specific output by drafting and validating an Infographic Document containing Sustainable Public Policy Recommendations and Cooperation Strategies in Plant Health, to serve as a technical, environmental and institutional guide for member countries.
4. To enable national authorities to incorporate up-to-date technical recommendations and reports from PAHO and the FAO regarding the strict regulation, phasing out or banning of highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs), thereby contributing to the development of occupational safety policies in the agricultural sector and food safety policies in urban supply chains.
5. To foster public-private, academic and international collaboration by coordinating operational synergies among ministries of agriculture, health and the environment, research centres, agricultural producers and partner international organisations, with a view to developing joint technical agendas.

Date: 28 July 2026

Target audience: Senior officials and directors from the fields of plant health, agricultural epidemiology and public health, as well as from the ministries of agriculture and sustainable development of SELA’s 23 member countries; delegates from the private agro-export sector, academic researchers and experts from international organisations. 

Format: Virtual via Zoom, with synchronous interactive streaming via the institutional Zoom platforms and open broadcast on SELA’s official YouTube channel. 

Language: Spanish, with simultaneous interpretation into English.

Permanent Secretariat of SELA:

Gustavo Herrera, Social Development Coordinator

Telephone: (58-212)-955-7111 / 955-7136

Email: gherrera@sela.org

Luis Emilio Martínez Mago, Social Development Analyst

Telephone: (58-212)-955-7111 / 955-7117

Email:  lmartinezm@sela.org