Integrating natural and social science perspectives on plant disease risk, management and policy formulation

Abstract

Plant diseases threaten both food security and the botanical diversity of natural ecosystems. Substantial research effort is focused on pathogen detection and control, with detailed risk management available for many plant diseases. Risk can be assessed using analytical techniques that account for disease pressure both spatially and temporally. We suggest that such technical assessments of disease risk may not provide an adequate guide to the strategies undertaken by growers and government to manage plant disease. Instead, risk-management strategies need to account more fully for intuitive and normative responses that act to balance conflicting interests between stakeholder organizations concerned with plant diseases within the managed and natural environments. Modes of effective engagement between policy makers and stakeholders are explored in the paper, together with an assessment of such engagement in two case studies of contemporary non-indigenous diseases in one food and in one non-food sector. Finally, a model is proposed for greater integration of stakeholders in policy decisions.

Sustainable Management of Plant Quarantine Pests: The Case of Olive Quick Decline Syndrome

“…Thus, plant health strategies need to shift from a technocratic or decisionistic model towards a transparent and inclusive governance model. Observing the decisionistic model applied to P. ramorum management in the UK, national consultative meetings were organized, as well as regional ones in most infected areas, and communication between government and stakeholder groups was seen as a critical step for the successful implementation of policy outcomes [8]. The result of meetings and debates was that ministers concluded that more needed to be done to contain and eradicate P. ramorum.…”

“…A further step towards a broader involvement of plant health professionals and researchers was the establishment of a task force in late 2015, while public debates at national, regional, and local levels were countless since the disease outbreak, even if not always formally organized. However, the case of P. ramorum in the UK underlines how the value of consultation and meeting depended on the diversity of organizations attending, because debates were not always able to attract key organizations or influencing groups that would lead to a broader and effective discussion with significant outcomes [8]. In Apulia, outcomes of consultations were numerous, but as of September 2016, the plant health policy is substantially linked to the European Directive, and the perception of a technocratic approach seems difficult to eradicate from the grower community as a whole.…”

“…As reported by Mills et al [8], such technical assessments of disease risk must consider "intuitive and normative responses that act to balance conflicting interests between stakeholder organizations concerned with plant diseases within the managed and natural environments". Thus, plant health strategies need to shift from a technocratic or decisionistic model towards a transparent and inclusive governance model.…”

“…Formal consultations were also launched in the UK for Dickeya solani, involving key national organizations with high interest and influence in the potato industry. Trade conferences, web comments, and online interviews involved thousands of potato growers, leading to the acceptance by the potato industry of a "zero tolerance" approach against the pest [8].…”

Challenges in the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources

“…Tighter European Union rules on the use of chemical pesticides are likely to increase the role of genetic diversity in order to keep many pathogens of crops under control [7]. Nonetheless, a more environmentally friendly management of diseases is just one of the reasons to preserve genetic diversity.…”