The threat of the introduction of exogenous pests and pathogens into Africa

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1 The threat of the introduction of exogenous pests and pathogens into Africa Andrews Y. Akrofi Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana P.O.Box 8 Akim Tafo 8/1/ Regional Workshop on CFC/ICCO/COCOBOD Project on Integrated Management of Cocoa Pests and Pathogens in Africa

2 In many parts of Africa, cocoa is the cash crop of choice for poor farmers and the main way out of the poverty of subsistence agriculture 6 million ha cultivated Importance of cocoa to Africa 90 % produced on 2 million family farms of 2 ha or less 16 million depend on cocoa but earn only $100/person/year Globally, million depend on cocoa (WCF) The global chocolate market is expected to grow from $83.2 billion in 2010.to $98.3 billion in 2016 ( Alabiet al., 2012

3 Regional trends in global cocoa production since % of production came from the Americas but currently, the region is producing less than 20 %. Asia and Oceania 13% Americas 16% Africa 71% Global cocoa production, 2011/2012 Principal reasons for the change in primary centers of cocoa production are damaging diseases in the Americas that do not occur in Africa and Asia Source: Ploetz, 2007; ICCO

4 Damaging Cocoa Diseases and Pests Witches Broom Frosty pod P. megakarya Mirids Swollen shoot Cocoa pod borer VSD

5 Main indigenous diseases and pest in Africa are Phytophthora pod rot, CSSVD and mirids The severity, damage and economic importance of these pests vary from country to country

6 Disease Global losses and impact of the major cacao diseases and pests Annual Losses (X10 3 metric tons) Annual Losses (%) Impact a Current Future Current Geographical distribution Black pod *** *** All cocoa producing countries Witches Broom *** *** Latin America Swollen Shoot ** *** Africa & Asia Frosty pod 30 5 ** **** Latin America Vascular streak dieback 30 9 ** ** Asia Mirids n/a ** *** Africa Cocoa Pod Borer n/a ** *** Asia a Relative impact is as follows: **=moderate; ***=high;****=very high. Future impact is based on the potential destruction a given disease or pest will cause if it were introduced outside its current geographical range. Ploetz, 2007; Bowers et al, 2001

7 Pests and pathogens require no VISAS to cross national, regional or continental boundaries. With faster communication and travel, trade links and the relatively free movement of people and commodities all over the world, there is a serious and very real risk of the introduction of major cocoa pests and pathogens to new regions or continents.

8 Which exogenous pathogens and pests pose threat to Africa?

9 FROSTY POD ROT, Moniliophthora roreri Frosty Pod Rot (FPR) has been catastrophic to cocoa production in every country in which it has been introduced and it has rapidly replaced Witches Broom Disease (WB) as the number one threat in any country where both exist. Eg. In Peru, where FPR occurs alongside black pod and WB, FPR is most prevalent, severe and serious in terms of damage The spores can move long distances, and the pathogen is adapted to disseminate over wide geographic areas in a relatively short period of time. FPR breached the cordon sanitairethat had been effective for WB.

10 Distribution of Monilia ? PRESENCE OF MONILIA Enrique Arevalo Gardini, 2012

11 WITCHES BROOM, Moniliophthora perniciosa The fungus attacks only actively growing tissue (shoots, flowers and pods) causing cocoa trees to produce branches with no or distorted fruits and ineffective leaves. The pods show distortion and present green patches that give the appearance of uneven ripening.

12 Witches Broom Witches Broom is currently limited to South America, Panama and the Caribbean Perhaps, it is the oldest known cocoa disease, thought to have co-evolved with cocoa in their common area of origin. First recorded in Brazilian Amazon in Suriname 1942 Trinidad, West Indies, Equador 1980 Columbia, Peru, Venezuela 1988 Panama Brazil

13 Witches Broom Witches Broom caused significant damage to cocoa production in Brazil -within a decade Brazil went from the world s second largest producer to becoming a net importer of cocoa (380,000 mt to 123,000 mt) Mass abandonment of cocoa plantations leading to a sharp drop in the area planted under cocoa from 600,000 ha to 300,000 ha within 15 yrs Simulations carried out by scientists have shown that an outbreak of Witches Broom would slash the cocoa production of Côte d Ivoire from its current level of 1.3 million tonnes to around 500,000 tonnes.

14 COCOA POD BORER,Conopomorpha cramerella First reported in 1860 s in Indonesia (Sulawesi) and 1895 discovered in Java and was eradicated In Philippines was confirmed in 1930s Malaysia, confirmed in Sabah 1980 and Sarawak in new infestation was found in Central Sulawesi Live borers can travel long distances. Healthy C. cramerellapupae were found on Thai rambutansin a supermarket at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 1986 In PNG was confirmed in 2006s

15 Vascular Streak Dieback/VSD Oncobasidium theobromae Symptom: yellowing leaf, three dots on the leaf base and brownish on xylem Basidiospore distribute by wind especially at night and inoculate flush Mainly found in South East Asia

16 How prepared is Africa for these introductions?

17 Our boarders are porousfor easy entry of pests and pathogens and environmental conditions throughout the cocoa producing countries in Africa appear to be conducive for the establishmentand rapid spread of FPR, WB and CPB. Introduction of such major diseases and pest into Africa would have a devastating impact on the world s cocoa supply, a destructive effect on the livelihoods of the already poor farmers and cause extremely serious social, economic and environmental problems.

18 The Inter-African PhytosanitaryCouncil (IAPSC) recognisesthe need to secure a common and effective action to prevent the introduction and spread of pests of plants and plant products as well as the need to promote appropriate measures for their control based on best practices (IPPO and WTO SPS) The Maputo declaration. National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPO) in the different countries provide the regulatory and technical advisory services to the agricultural clintele in order to achieve the above.

19 Questions that should engage attention of stakeholders (policy makers, scientists, producers, processors, consumers, environmentalists etc)?

20 What basic information on designated potential pests and pathogens is available? How well developed and coordinated are the activities of institutions that will facilitate at national and regional level collaboration in managing early warning systems, monitoring and other means of preventing introduction of exogenous pests and pathogens into Africa? How harmonized are the existing regulatory and legal provisions, plans and measures for the management of major indigenous and exogenous cocoa pests and pathogens?

21 How well informed are various categories of people on possibility of introducing exogenous pests and pathogens into Africa? What is the human resource, infrastructure, equipment and standards procedures available? Are there comprehensive emergency response systems in place should there be an introduction of an exogenous pest or pathogen into Africa?

22 Conclusion It is our common belief that there is a possible and real threat of introduction of exogenous pests and pathogens into Africa. Incoped-1999 Yamoussoukro (caution on movement of scientists from endemic regions) 15 th ICRC in Costa Rica African participants excluded from field trip to CATIE There will be significant social, economic, environmental damage when introductions occur in the absence of advance preparation.

23 In view of the economic, social and environmental importance of cocoa to both producers, processors and consumers, it would be prudent to have an insurance premium in the form of efforts to reduce introduction of exogenous pests and pathogens into Africa and guard against future losses of the cocoa crop which is already facing a myriad of problems.

24 Thank you for your attention