Biosecurity refers to measures taken to manage biological risks like diseases that threaten agriculture, food, and the environment. It involves preventing the introduction and spread of pests and diseases among animals, plants, and ecosystems through regulatory frameworks and integrated approaches. Factors like increased globalization and trade, and new production technologies have increased biosecurity risks. There is thus a need for coordinated efforts by groups like FAO and regulatory bodies to minimize risks through strategies like quarantine, isolation, sanitation, and disinfection at the farm level and through policies at national and international levels.

1. SAFEENA MAJEED, A. A.,
AGRI. ENTOMOLOGY

2. Strategic and integrated approach that encompasses the
policy and regulatory frameworks for analysing and
managing relevant risks to human, animal and plant life
and health, and associated risks to the environment.
Covers
 Food safety
 Zoonoses
 Introduction of animal &
plant diseases & pests
 Introduction & release of LMOs
 Introduction & management of invasive alien species
What is Biosecurity ???

3. 
 Biosecurity- measures taken to reduce the risk of
spread of animal disease on farms (Defra, 2005).
 Is a holistic term which encompasses policy and
regulation to protect agriculture, food and the
environment from biological risk (FAO,2003).
In context of agriculture…

4. 
 Globalization
 New agricultural production and food processing
technologies
 Increased trade in food and agricultural products
 Increasing travel and movement of people across
borders
 Advances in communications and global access to
biosecurity information
 High dependence of some countries on food imports
 Biowar
Factors influencing
biosecurity

5. 
 Irish potato famine- Phytophthora infestans (1845)
 Karnal bunt of wheat- Tilletia indica (1996, US)
 Wheat stem rust -Puccinia graminis tritici (E. Africa)
 Benagl famine- Pyricularia oryzae (1943)
 Swine Fever in 1997 cost The Netherlands (Whiting 2003).
 The Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in 2001 UK
(Thompson et al. 2002).
 Avian Influenza outbreak in Netherlands (Harder &
Werner 2006).
 Screwworm fly, Cochliomyia hominivorax inAfrica in 1988
(Lindquist et al. 1992).
Is there any need ???

6. At global level..
 FAO (1945)
 WTO agreement SPS Agreement (1995)
 IPPC (1951)
 Codex Alimentarius Commission (1961)
 CBD (1992)
 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety for LMOs (2000)
 Office international des épizooties (OIE, or World Organization
for Animal Health) (1924)
Regulatory organizations

7. 
In India,
 Agricultural Bio-security Authority of India
 Import & export of plants, animals & related products
 preventing introduction of quarantine pests & post-
entry quarantine
 Constitution of India- Article 21 fundamental rights.
 The right to health
 The right to a healthy environment
 The right to pollution-free water and air
 Protection against hazardous industries.

8. 
Integrated approach

9. 
 Bio-exclusion: preventing the introduction of disease
to farm
 Bio-containment : prevent the spread of disease from
farm to farm and within the farm.
 Isolation
 Sanitation
 Disinfection
Basic components

10. 
 Quarantine of an organism or group of organisms to
prevent the introduction or spread of infectious disease
 Farm should be established farther from public roads
 Testing of a sample prior to bringing them onto the facility.
 Isolation or separation from other populations for a period
of time
 Sampling and proper treatment.
 Reduction or elimination of infectious pathogens.
 Disease prevention strategies.
Isolation

11. 
Sapota mealybug,
Exallomochlus philippinensis
Intercepted at:
 Bangalore International Airport
 Commercial consignment is Rambutan
(Nephelium lappaceum) fruits.
 Imported from Thailand.
 Known only from Philippines.
 Identified by NBAII
Action taken:
 The samples were destroyed.
 The spread of this pest was prevented to
Sapota orchards in S. India, Maharastra and
Gujarat; area under this fruit (40 thousand
hectares) was saved from devastation
 A possible loss of 3000 crores prevented.

12. 
Invasive mealy bug under surveillance
Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi
Introduced already on papaya, guava,
chrysanthemum, etc.
• considered as serious on papaya.
Action taken:
 Predator Cryptolaemus montrouzieri
was recorded to feed on this
mealybug.
 The predator could be used if the
scale assumes pest proportion.
 NBAII and AICRP (BC) are in a state
of preparedness in case of flare-up.

13. 
 Procedures reduce the numbers of disease causing
organisms present within a given system
 Good overall system maintenance and cleanliness to
reduce environments that will favour pathogens and
parasites
Sanitation

14. 
 Prevent or reduce the spread of disease causing
organisms from one system to another.
 Disinfect all equipment prior to being re-used.
 Restrict access to authorized persons only.
 Ensure that all vehicles have been cleaned and
disinfected prior to arrival at site.
Disinfection

15. 

16. 
 Must control hazards of
 biological, chemical and physical origin in imported
food
 food produced domestically
 food that is exported.
 Documentation of high levels of food-borne disease.
 Food controls based on good hygienic (1/3 people -
microbial food-borne diseases being zoonotic).
Food safety

17. 
Focus on ….
 Significant changes in food production and processing on
a global scale.
 Shift in primary responsibility for food safety from the
competent authority to industry with government
assuming an oversight role.
 More vociferous involvement of consumers.
 Consumer perceptions and fears reflected in more
stringent regulatory requirements, including labelling.

18. 
 Refers to infectious diseases that can be transmitted
naturally between wild or domestic animals and
humans.
 Zoonoses may be bacterial, viral, parasitic, or may
involve unconventional agents.
 Being a public health problem,
 prevent the efficient production of food of animal
origin
 create obstacles to international trade in animal
products.
Zoonosis

19. 
Recent outbreak of Nipah Virus

20. 
 Concerns import, domestic and export health
controls.
 Import controls are designed to prevent introduction
of hazards pathogenic to animals during trade in
 Animals
 animal genetic material
 animal products
 feedstuffs & biological products.
Animal health

21. 
 Application of regulatory controls to protect plant health
 Also covers threats to wild plants.
 Due to environmental issues, must manage plant pests
that primarily affect other organisms and ecosystem.
 Plant health can be adversely affected by different types
of pests
 plants themselves
 pathogenic organisms - injurious to plants or plant products
Plant Health

22. 
Regulatory bodies…
 FAO plays an important role in biosecurity through IPPC
 Technical support is provided through the IPPC and
International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures
 ISPMs: prevent the introduction and spread of plant pests and
promotes phytosanitary measures for their control.
 NIPHM
 Plant Health Management
 Biosecurity and Incursion Management
 Rodent Pest Management
 Pesticide Management

23. 
 International treaty
 Coordinated, effective action to prevent introduction &
spread of pests of plants and plant products.
 Provides a framework &forum- international cooperation,
harmonization and technical exchange between
contracting parties.
 Deposited with the DG of FAO since its adoption in 1951
 Protect sustainable agriculture and enhance global food
security through the prevention of pest spread
 Protect the environment, forests and biodiversity from
plant pests
IPPC

24. 
 Facilitate economic & trade development through
the promotion of harmonized scientifically based
phytosanitary measures
 Four annual themes for IPPC community (2015) to
promote on an annual basis specific aspects
 2016- Plant Health and Food Security
 2017- Plant Health and Trade Facilitation
 2018- Plant Health and Environmental Protection
 2019- Plant Health and Capacity Development

25.  Plant Quarentine Act, 1912
 Destructive Insects and Pests Act, 1914
 Insecticide Act, 1968
 National Plant Protection Training Institute -12 divisions
 Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine and storage
 87 Sub offices
 29 Central Integrated Pest Management Centres
 35 Plant Quarantine Stations
 2 Regional Pesticides Testing
 29 Locust Control Stations
 Locust Warning and Control unit
 Plant Protection Division.
 Pest /Disease Surveillance Division.
 Biological Control Unit.
 Storage Unit & Rodent Control Unit.
 Pesticide Monitoring Unit.
 Planning and Coordination Unit.
 Documentation Unit.
In India….

26.  Due to biotechnology, likely to have adverse environmental
impacts –
 affect the conservation & sustainable use of biodiversity
 risks to human health
 Regulatory requirements covering the safe transfer, handling
and use of LMOs are a new focus point
 Although international guidelines on safety of foods derived
from GMOs are being developed, its still a continuing issue due
to public concern.
 Rapid proliferation of new gene technologies
LMOs

27.  Credible & effective controls for LMOs to maximize
the benefits of while minimizing associated risks
 Development of detailed national strategies for
conservation and protection of the environment.
 Increasing “public good” regulation for sustainable
use of biological resources.
 Inclusion of local communities in decision-making.
Need to focus on….

28. 
These are plants, animals, pathogens and other
organisms that are non-native to an ecosystem, and
which may cause economic or environmental harm or
adversely affect human health.
 Adversely impact biodiversity,
 decline /elimination of native species through
competition, predation transmission of pathogens
 disruption of local ecosystems & ecosystem functions
 exacerbate poverty and threaten development-impact
on agriculture, forestry, fisheries and natural systems
Invasive alien species

29. 
 Protection of biodiversity in terms of the variability
among living organisms
 Introduction, control or eradication of invasive species
that threaten ecosystems, habitats or other species
 Strategic emphasis on prevention of introductions, rather
than eradication/mitigation/containment
 There are calls from governments and other stakeholder
groups (special interest groups, NGOs)
There is a need of…

30. 
Global issue that requires
 Collaboration among governments, economic
sectors, NGOs & international organizations
 Policymakers
 Consumers
 Educators, youth & recreationists.

31. 
 Intensification of broader aspects
 Development of detailed national strategies for
conservation and protection of the environment.
 “Ecosystem approaches” to minimizing spread.
 Increasing “public good” regulation for sustainable
use of biological resources.
 Cross-sector cooperation between environmentalists
and agriculturalists at both the government and
private sector level
Strategies to minimise risk…

32. 
Management of biological resources to ensure
sustainable agriculture while maintaining full
biological diversity of genetic resources.
 Organisms produced by modern biotechnology also
may threaten the plant environment
 out-crossing to create more aggressive weeds
 upset the ecological balance and decrease biodiversity
Environmental protection

33. 
Efforts made …
2018 -IPPC year of Plant Health & Environmental
Protection
 Conservation or protection of natural ecosystems
 Protection of food security & improved livelihoods
 Sustainable plant production through the protection
of the environment& biodiversity in both natural
and agricultural production systems.

34. 
 Increasing number of new and emerging pathogens
 Increasing availability of sophisticated diagnostic
tools for epidemiological surveillance.
 More attention to traceability systems.
 Greater focus on emergency preparedness and
response.
 Changing epidemiology of disease due to confluence
of animals and people in intensive farming
situations.
Future trends….

35.  Goal is to prevent, control or manage risks to life & health
 Toolkit advocating strategic & integrated approach as a holistic
concept
 Direct relevance in meeting consumer expectations
 Safety of their food supply
 Preventing & controlling zoonotic aspects of public health
 Ensuring the sustainability of agriculture
 Safeguarding terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments
 Protecting biodiversity.
Conclusion

36. 
India urgently needs a national agricultural biosecurity
system to strengthen the ability to prevent pandemics.
This will help safeguard the income and livelihood
security of farm and fisher families.
 M.S. Swaminathan
Thank you