Biosecurity for market access | April 2025
Rieks recently returned from two international meetings where he had the opportunity to showcase CSIRO’s work on phytosanitary risk science. The trip reinforced that phytosanitary systems approaches are one of the hot topics among policymakers and regulators globally. In this update, we share a few observations from these international forums and highlight some of the science we are doing to support the development and application of systems approaches for market access.
The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) helped create the opportunity for us to present and participate in two international sessions on systems approaches held in March 2025:
- WTO-SPS thematic session on innovative regulatory approaches to facilitate safe trade, held in Geneva, 17-18 March 2025.
- CPM-19 side session on the systems approach: principles, practical tools and an upcoming IPPC workshop, held in Rome, 21 March 2025.
These sessions included presentations for systems approaches in action from New Zealand, EU, Indonesia, Kenya, Chinese Taipei, Argentina, USA and Dominica. Rieks noted a few highlights, including:
- Tang-Kai Wang from Chinese Taipei on the use of systems approach to support a US$200 million export-oriented orchid industry. Tang-Kai highlighted the ongoing need for innovation.
- Pofessor Teophilus Mutui from Kenya on the use of systems approaches to support US$766 million floriculture exports, with a special focus on false codling moth in roses.
- Matias Buttera from Argentina on the use of systems approaches to re-open apple trade into neighbouring Brazil where codling moth had been eradicated.
An amazing diversity of countries from across the world spoke from the floor at both events to emphasise their support for the further development and application of systems approaches. This included four countries offering to host the IPPC international workshop on systems approaches that is being planned for late 2025. Systems approaches are also on the agenda for the Sixth Review of the Operation and Implementation of the WTO Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement.
This has been a great motivation for our team to continue developing risk science to support the use of systems approaches, and readily accessible methods and tools to help apply that science.
Dr Rieks van Klinken (second from left) with the Australian delegation to the World Trade Organisation meeting of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Committee in March 2025
Dr Rieks van Klinken (second from left) with the Australian delegation to the World Trade Organisation meeting of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Committee in March 2025
CSIRO perspective on risk science for systems approaches
Rieks’ presentation focussed on:
- what systems approaches are,
- how the concept has evolved since the international standard for systems approaches (ISPM 14) was ratified back in 2002, and
- CSIRO’s work to develop tools and approaches to make the application of systems approaches easier.
You can look through the slides and speaking notes from his CPM-19 presentation here.
Dr Rieks van Klinken presenting to the Committee for Phytosanitary Measures (CPM19) in Rome, March 2025
Dr Rieks van Klinken presenting to the Committee for Phytosanitary Measures (CPM19) in Rome, March 2025
Some other highlights from the team
A key focus of our team’s research continues to be in risk science to support Pest Risk Analyses, and the application of Phytosanitary Systems Approaches. We will provide updates on some important areas of progress in future science updates, including:
- Menu of Measures Resource – we are collaborating with the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to develop a comprehensive summary of measures available to reduce phytosanitary risks. We hope the menu resource can be a helpful starting point when thinking about potential measures to include in a systems approach. The resource will also be an important reference to inform pest risk analysis. This online resource will be publicly released in mid-2025.
- PRA Online – we are currently working closely with our partners to develop an online tool that can be used by Australian domestic jurisdictions to undertake collaborative pest risk analyses and to guide agreement on movement controls following new plant pest incursions. The Alpha version is now undergoing extensive user-testing.
- PRReSTo – our online Pest Risk Reduction Scenario Tool now has improved functionality, including the ability to run and save multiple scenarios. PRReSTo allows users to quantitatively assess phytosanitary risks, and the effect of combining different measures in reducing that risk. We are planning further significant updates to the tool in late 2025, including a revamp of the user interface.
- Preparing a National (Australian) Guideline for Low Pest Prevalence Sites (LPPS). Demonstrating that pest prevalence within a registered site is low can be an important measure within a phytosanitary systems approach. Currently, however, there is no international standard (ISPM) to guide recognition of sites of low pest prevalence. In collaboration with our government partners, our team has drafted a guideline for use within Australia that is currently being reviewed and considered for national adoption.
Contact us if you’d like a deeper dive into our work and potential applications of it, either in-person or on-line.
Innovation through collaboration
Our team aims to enhance the science, technology and regulation underpinning biosecure trade. Through these updates, we aim to connect with like-minded researchers, policy makers, industry members, ag-tech providers, and research organisations – so please do share this with others in your network.
We would love to hear about your work in this field, or any feedback about our research. You can subscribe to these updates or contact our team at phytoriskscience@csiro.au