Introduction to Pest Risk Assessment

Presentation Overview  Purpose of Pest Risk Analysis (PRA)  Principles of Pest Risk Analysis  Components of Pest Risk Analysis

Purpose of Pest Risk Analysis  To estimate the likelihood of successful invasion by plant pests -Entry -Establishment -Spread -Consequences / Impact  To justify phytosanitary measures on traded plant products

Principles of Risk Analysis  Sound science  Structured and transparent  Consistent and repeatable  Guidelines:  Guidelines for Pest Risk Analysis (ISPM 2)  Pest Risk Analysis for Quarantine Pests (ISPM 11)  Draft Guidelines for Pest Risk Analysis (Biosecurity Australia website)

Components of Risk Analysis

1. Initiation of a PRA  A PRA may be initiated as a result of: - Identification of a pathway that presents a pest hazard - Identification of a pest that may require phytosanitary measures - Review or revision of existing phytosanitary policies or priorities PRA’s are most often initiated following a request for market access

2. Risk Assessment  Pest Risk Assessment can be divided into 3 steps:  Step 1 – Pest categorisation  Step 2 – Probability of entry, establishment and spread of the pest  Step 3 – Assessment of potential economic consequences

2. Risk Assessment  Step 1 – Pest categorisation  Identify quarantine pests  Categorise pests (do they occur on the pathway?)  Prepare data sheets

Pest Categorisation Quarantine pests are retained for further assessment

Prepare Data Sheets  {Quarantine Pest Name}  Species:  Synonyms:  Common name(s):  Hosts:  Plant part(s) affected:  Distribution:  Biology (life cycle):  Epidemiology:  Control:  References:

2. Risk Assessment  Step 2 –Probability of entry, establishment and spread of the pest  Assess the likelihood of entry of a pest  Assess likelihood of establishment of a pest after entry  Assess spread potential of the pest

2. Risk Assessment (Cont’d)  Assess entry potential –Likelihood that a quarantine pest will arrive in an importing country through the various pathways –Be distributed in a viable state to the endangered area –Dependant on production methods in the exporting country and importing country quarantine procedures –- orchard –- packing house –- transport –- on-arrival inspection

Pathway for the Importation of Fresh Fruit

2. Risk Assessment (Cont’d)  Assess establishment potential - Host availability, abundance, distribution - Climatic suitability - Potential for pest to adapt - Reproductive strategy of the pest - Method of pest survival - Previous history of establishment - Abundance & range in country of origin - Cultural practices & control measures

2. Risk Assessment (Cont’d)  Assess spread potential –Suitability of the environment for natural spread –Presence of natural barriers –The potential for movement with commodities or conveyances –Intended use of the commodity –Potential pest vectors & natural enemies in the PRA area

2. Risk Assessment (Cont’d)  Step 3 – Assessment of Economic Consequences  Impacts on productivity: – Yield losses – Increased control costs – Post-harvest disinfestation  Impacts on trade / market access: – Domestic – International  Impacts on the environment  Impacts on human health

Estimating the Overall Risk Posed by a Quarantine Pest For each pest, combine the likelihood of: - entry/establishment/ spread, and - consequence of entry/establishment/ spread: “Extreme” “High” “Moderate” “Extreme” “High” “Moderate” “Low” “Very low” “Low” “Very low”

Estimating the Overall Risk Posed by a Quarantine Pest

What if a pest poses an unacceptable risk?  Risk Management measures may be required to reduce the risk to an acceptable level

Exercise 2 – Compiling a Bid for Market Access  Groups to compile a list of information required to conduct a PRA  40 minutes for group exercise  20 minutes for reporting and workshop discussion