Protecting Plants, Protecting Life: How AGRIS Supports One Health on Plant Health Day 2025
12/05/2025

©FAO/Eduardo Soteras
Every year, Plant Health Day reminds us that plants are not only the foundation of our food systems—they are the foundation of life itself.
In 2025, the theme "The importance of plant health in One Health" reinforces the idea that human, animal, and environmental health are deeply interconnected, and protecting plants is at the heart of it.
Plants provide 80% of the food we eat and 98% of the oxygen we breathe, yet they are under constant threat from pests and diseases. These threats not only jeopardize food security but can also have ripple effects across ecosystems, livelihoods, and even human health through the spread of zoonotic diseases. With up to 40% of crops lost annually due to plant pests and diseases, the stakes are high, and the response must be science-driven.
That’s where AGRIS plays a vital role.
Developed by FAO, AGRIS is a global open-access database that hosts over 15 million scientific records related to food, agriculture, and sustainability. It provides researchers, policymakers, and plant health professionals with access to the latest studies on integrated pest management, biosecurity, digital early warning systems, and sustainable farming practices. These tools are essential for implementing effective, environmentally friendly solutions.
On this #PlantHealthDay, we highlight how countries around the world are contributing to global knowledge through AGRIS. By sharing research on plant protection, they help build the collective capacity to anticipate, respond to, and mitigate pest threats, supporting global trade, preserving biodiversity, and ensuring safe, sustainable food systems.
As FAO and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) work to strengthen international standards and raise awareness, AGRIS supports this mission by ensuring free and multilingual access to the science that powers action.
Explore plant health research in AGRIS today: https://agris.fao.org