.svg)
Celebrate International Day of Plant Health on May 12 and join the global effort to protect plants, crops, and trees from pests and diseases. This day was first created by the United Nations in 2020 to raise awareness about the importance of protecting plants for our future health and wellbeing. We all need plants to provide food, oxygen, and clean air; so let’s work together to make sure that our planet is healthy!
<div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1800s</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Early Plant Health Research</div><div class='timeline-text'>In the 1800s, scientists began identifying and researching plant diseases and pest control, laying the foundations for modern plant health science.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1951</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>International Plant Protection Convention</div><div class='timeline-text'>The United Nations created the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) to secure coordinated, effective action to prevent and control pests of plants and plant products.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1975</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>First World Food Summit</div><div class='timeline-text'>The first World Food Summit underlines the importance of plant health in ensuring food security and sparks global efforts to safeguard plant health.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2000</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Biotech Crops Introduced</div><div class='timeline-text'>Biotech crops are introduced, raising contentious debates about genetic modification but paving the way for strides in plant health and productivity.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2017</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>UN Emphasizes Plant Health</div><div class='timeline-text'>The United Nations stresses the importance of plant health in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including zero hunger and climate action.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2020</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>First International Day of Plant Health</div><div class='timeline-text'>The United Nations introduces the International Day of Plant Health to raise awareness about the vital role of plants in sustaining life on Earth.</div></div></div>
<div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>1</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Plant a tree</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Plant a tree in your yard or in a nearby park, and watch it grow over time. Trees provide oxygen, reduce air pollution, and provide habitat for wildlife.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>2</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Start a vegetable garden</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Growing your own vegetables is a great way to enjoy healthy, locally grown produce while also taking steps to protect plant health. Choose vegetables that are native to your area, and start planting!</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>3</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Participate in a plant clean up</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Organize or join a volunteer effort to help clean up local parks and green spaces on International Plant Health Day. This is a great way to help promote the health of plants in your community.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>4</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Educate yourself</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Take the time to learn about plant health issues and how you can help protect plants from disease and pests. Read articles and books, watch documentaries, or even take a course.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>5</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Spread awareness</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Share what you've learned with family and friends on social media or through word of mouth, and encourage them to take part in International Plant Health Day activities.</p></div></div>
<div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>A</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Plants are an important part of our lives</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>We rely on plants for food, medicine, and many other things. They provide oxygen for us to breathe, shade from the sun, and protection against natural disasters such as droughts and floods. Plant health is essential if we want to continue to benefit from all the advantages they offer us.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>B</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Plant health affects biodiversity</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>When plants become unhealthy due to pests, diseases, or environmental factors, it can have a huge impact on ecosystems around the world. Biodiversity is important because if one species of plant disappears, other species also suffer. Healthy plants support local populations of animals and sustain our planet's unique flora.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>C</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Improving plant health helps reduce global hunger</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>Unhealthy or diseased plants produce fewer yields than healthy ones, which can cause a shortage of food in areas that are already suffering from malnutrition. By focusing on improving plant health through better pest control, irrigation systems, and more effective farming practices, we can help reduce famine and ensure more equitable access to nutritious foods.</p></div></div>
<div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>1</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Healthy Plants Help Reduce Climate Change</h3><p class='facts-content'>Healthy plants play a significant role in mitigating climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas, thereby reducing the Earth's overall temperature.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>2</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Phytopathology is an Established Field to Study Plant Diseases</h3><p class='facts-content'>Phytopathologists are scientists who study plant diseases - how they spread, and their effect on plant health. This field of study has significantly contributed to understanding plant diseases and has helped in the invention of many treatments and preventions.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>3</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Plants Have Natural Defense Systems Against Pests</h3><p class='facts-content'>Plants produce chemicals known as allelochemicals that can protect them from pests such as insects, funguses, or other plant invaders, showcasing the natural resilience and complexities of plant life.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>4</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Crop Rotation is a Vital Practice for Maintaining Plant Health</h3><p class='facts-content'>Rotation of crop plants in a specific order over several seasons can prevent the depletion of soil nutrients, suppress disease and pests, and improve crop yield and thus supports the health of the entire ecosystem.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>5</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Plants Influence Local Weather Patterns</h3><p class='facts-content'>Through a process known as transpiration, plants release moisture into the atmosphere which can influence local weather patterns and even create rain clouds, demonstrating their key role as important weather regulators.</p></div></div>
International Day of Plant Health is celebrated on May 12 every year. In 2024 International Day of Plant Health will occur on a Sunday.
2023
May 12
Friday
2024
May 12
Sunday
2025
May 12
Monday
2026
May 12
Tuesday
2027
May 12
Wednesday
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
