Each year in mid-May, the International Day of Plant Health, established by the United Nations, highlights the vital role plants play in our lives and why protecting them matters. Plants provide 80% of the food we eat and underpin global trade and ecosystems, yet up to 40% of crops are lost to pests and diseases each year.

That’s where biosecurity comes in. Biosecurity systems help prevent harmful pests and diseases entering and spreading, protecting growers, trade, and the environment. For the New Zealand kiwifruit industry, this is exactly the focus of KVH’s work - from offshore risk monitoring and pathway analysis to post-border surveillance and grower readiness. Every trap deployed, report made, and on-orchard action taken contributes to safeguarding production and market access.

International Day of Plant Health is a reminder that everyone plays a role, whether it’s checking goods, sourcing plants responsibly, or reporting anything unusual early. Here’s a short video from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations explaining their work.