Tehran – As Iran marks the 59th anniversary of its Plant Protection Organization (PPO), the agency's head has underscored its strategic role in safeguarding the nation's agricultural production through pest monitoring, pesticide regulation, early warning systems, and international cooperation.

 

Maryam Jalili Moghaddam described plant protection experts as "guardians of food security and biological border guards," essential to protecting the country's crops.

 

She identified pests, diseases, and weeds among the most serious threats to agriculture, requiring scientific planning and continuous monitoring. "Our experts provide technical guidance to farmers nationwide," she said.

 

Jalili Moghaddam also highlighted the organization's quarantine mission, noting that plant quarantine specialists at border entry points act as "biological sentinels" preventing the entry and spread of quarantine pests.

 

On the international front, she said the PPO serves as Iran's national authority cooperating with bodies such as the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), helping raise quarantine standards, facilitate technical information exchange, and ease agricultural trade.