Post: Cooperation to support improved biosecurity systems in South Africa

September 16, 2024

Cooperation to support improved biosecurity systems in South Africa

Biosecurity is the protection of natural resources across legislative boundaries against pests, pathogens and other alien invasive species.

To protect natural resources, a clear understanding of risks posed and mitigative plans for plant and animal health, and food safety status of countries is required, and this is aligned with international standards under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) through signatories from each country’s National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO). In South Africa, this is the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD). While national governments are primarily responsible for implementing and reporting biosecurity measures (pest status and outbreaks), the private sector bears the brunt of the impact, which then has ramifications for the country’s trade competitiveness. A cooperative approach between DALRRD and Industry to building phytosanitary capacity to support the successful implementation of the national biosecurity system is therefore paramount.

Biosecurity is only successful when partnerships are in place The concept of hybrid vigour (or heterosis) is far from uncommon in forestry. In breeding, hybrid vigour refers to the phenomenon where the resultant progeny of a diverse cross, outcompetes both parents for the traits of interest. In other words, the product is greater than the sum of the individuals. Such is the nature of effective cooperation, where both parties have a vested interest in an endeavour, both parties commit, invest, and have a say on the progress and outcomes. This is the basis of some of the most successful biosecurity examples in history.

Challenges of biosecurity measures are not a “South African problem”.

When looking at the example of how New Zealand dealt with a specific biosecurity threat (Bovine Tuberculosis), as opposed to the method employed by the UK, we start to get an appreciation of the importance of cooperation in biosecurity. Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) is an infectious respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis affecting cattle, among other animals. In the first half of the twentieth century, both countries had been hit hard by the disease. By themid-1900’s both countries seemed to have the disease suppressed below economically damaging thresholds. Over the proceeding decades however, there was an eye-catching turning point. In New Zealand, regular surveillance of the disease picked up that brushtail possums were carriers of the disease passing it on to cattle. The country took on a paternalistic approach, where government led with little to no buy-in from relevant industry stakeholders.

This was soon corrected as government decided to rather cooperate effectively with industry and the research community, where various organisations invested money, time and effort together and plans were put in place to limit the spread of the disease.

This was particularly effective as all parties took ownership of the implementation leading to the country maintaining disease levels well below economically damaging thresholds even till today. The UK also found a local carrier of the disease (badgers), implementing a paternalistic approach (as New Zealand initially did) however they crucially maintained this paternalistic approach, not giving industry and the research community a proper seat at the decision-making table and steering away from effective cooperative approach. The next few decades saw the disease in the UK soar well above economically damaging thresholds even into the 21st century.

Partnerships in Forestry

A little closer to home we see that the Forestry Sector in South Africa also relies on this type of cooperative approach to plant health biosecurity. But what does it look like on the ground?

Tree Protection Cooperative Programme (TPCP)

The TPCP is a research and extension partnership platform facilitating cooperation between industry, government, academia and the research community. While the TPCP was not primarily aimed at being a biosecurity platform, it plays a crucial role in improving the phytosanitary preparedness for the Forestry Sector and now, through the National Biosecurity Hub, the Agricultural Sector as well.

Effective biosecurity threat management relies on accurate, up-to-date information on the introduction and spread of key pests and diseases. The TPCP platform provides a monitoring and surveillance network which serves as an important component of early detection where industry and academia contribute equally.

Ongoing general and specific monitoring of pests and diseases can display changes in distribution over time, detect new organisms and provide a database to identify the need for further research. Regular interaction through this platform ensures that information reaches all stakeholders and further supports tree health and protection by building local capacity in key areas such as pathology, genomics and microbiology.

Success in practice – the South African Sirex Control Programme

In the last few years several new and potentially more devastating pests and diseases were introduced and established in South Africa (Fig 1). To manage this escalating threat, a holistic strategic response and greater resources is constantly required. The industry has, therefore, over the years established focussed working groups to address specific threats as a collective.

The working group structure has proven to be very effective at executing focussed industry interventions. It is also highly adaptive, enabling the consolidation and expansion of working groups in response to the level of threat posed. The best example of the positive impact this has had on the Sector is the establishment of the South African Sirex Control Programme. This programme was a true partnership between industry, academia and government.

Sirex noctilio (woodwasp) is an important non-native pest affecting pine in South Africa. Sirex larvae lives and feeds in the wood of pine trees. When laying their eggs, they also introduce a fungus (Amylostereum areolatum) which the larvae feed off. This ongoing process results in the death of the tree. The first report of the Sirex noctilio establishment in South Africa was in 1994 in the Western Cape (Cape Town) on Pinus radiata trees. Over the following 15 years, the pest spread in pine plantations through the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. By 2010 the pest also spread throughout northern KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. Despite the pest posing a threat to pine plantations in the Western Cape, record of major damage largely started to take off as it spread to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Besides an early infestation in George, most of the reports in the Western Cape had little damage. In the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, however, tree mortality reached highs of 35% in some stands with an average mortality of 6% during 2004-2006.

The South African Sirex Control Programme was therefore established as a collaborative initiative between the industry (Forestry South Africa), government (Departments of Water and Forestry), and the research community (TPCP and the ICFR). The programme was established to develop and implement a strategy to manage Sirex noctilio and reduce the impact and risk to local commercial pine plantations with four key focus areas. The first was to monitor the spread and extent of Sirex in South Africa.

The second was to coordinate research to support the control and management of the pest. This included improving the knowledge base of Sirex and its interactions and develop improved biological control agents. The third focus was on the operational control of Sirex, which included assessments of inoculation success and natural spread of biological control agents. Finally, the programme also focused on communication and awareness amongst stakeholders.

The programme functions with involvement of industry and government at the level of the Steering Committee as well as being stakeholders with the research community in the various focus areas.

In 2017 the Programme conducted a study to evaluate the impact of Sirex on the industry as of 2016 and to compare it with an earlier study conducted by the programme in 2007. This study found that infected area as well as subsequent volume losses caused by Sirex to pulpwood plantations decreased between 2007-2016. However, the sawlog affected area increased during this period. Since infestations of Sirex gradually made its way northwards, significant areas of sawlog plantations were affected, having infection rates of 0.3% in northern areas such as Mpumalanga in 2016. Overall, losses incurred on sawlogs are far smaller than that of pulpwood for both growers and processers. Therefore, as a percentage of the “full potential” for both growers and processors, losses have decreased between 2007 and 2016. This indicates that the South African Sirex Control Programme and its interventions have had a positive impact on the industry.

Through such collaborative approaches industry has been able to leverage the resources and expertise from various stakeholders, thereby supporting government with their national obligations and the Sector’s overall preparedness.

Implementing and expanding lessons learnt

The model and success of the Sirex control programme was reviewed in 2018 and industry and government collectively opted to combine all protection research to better enable South Africa to address the threat of forestry pests and diseases. A new partnership was signed between Industry and Government that has resulted in the establishment of the National Pest and Disease Surveillance System.

Although the private sector, both in-house and with the support of the TPCP have implemented their systems, a comprehensive national solution requires government support. The DFFE’s continued support is essential for realising this national system, utilising the TPCP’s extension and diagnostic clinic services alongside reference collections. Through collaborative efforts, industry, government and research partners are now poised to build a strong National Pest and Disease Surveillance System. The value of this system has already been realised with the early detection of two new pests on Acacia.

Broader Biosecurity Partnerships
Biosecurity Hub

The National Biosecurity Hub, which brings together government, industry, social partners and the research community, is an important initiative supporting the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. It aims to significantly increase research capacity available to South Africa’s sanitary and phytosanitary regulatory authorities, ensuring international trade standards are met.

This is still a new platform but has already started training and deploying capacity to regulatory authorities in the National Plant Protection Organisation of South Africa (NPPOZA) as well as supporting chemical registration (Act 36 of 1947).

The National Biosecurity Hub is an important partnership platform that will benefit sectors where losses to pests and diseases pose significant threats to productivity, economic growth and trade barriers for exported forestry and agricultural products.

Conclusion

It has been frequently stated that pests and diseases know no borders. With globalisation this has become even more evident with the significant rise in new introductions of pests and diseases globally. This makes biosecurity threats not a local problem, it is at the very least regional but often, international. The biosecurity threat we face as a Sector is far too big to address individually sitting in our silos and can only work if government, industry and the research community work together to ensure up-to-date, accurate information on pests and diseases and collectively action programmes to mitigate the threat.

Figure 1 Reference: Hurley, B.P., Garnas, J., Wingfield, M.J., Branco, M., Richardson, D.M. and Slippers, B., 2016. Increasing numbers and intercontinental spread of invasive insects on eucalypts. Biological Invasions, 18, pp.921-933.

By: Stefan Links, Production & Research Manager and Dr Ronald Health, Director of Protection & Research

Source: Forestry in Focus – Issue 15