Bulgaria has officially become part of the global initiative #PlantHealth4Life, which aims to raise awareness about the key role of plant health in preserving biodiversity, economy, and in our daily lives. The national partner for the campaign is the Bulgarian Food and Safety Agency (BFSA). “Bulgaria’s participation in #PlantHealth4Life is a natural step in our efforts towards sustainable development. Plant health is directly linked to food security, environmental quality, and even our country’s tourism potential,”
stated Prof. Dr. Olya Karadjova, Deputy Executive Director of the BFSA. The campaign, is now entering its third year. It was initiated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Commission (EC), and their partners. It unites 26 EU Member States, 5 candidate EU countries, and Switzerland in a shared goal: to encourage citizens to play an active role in protecting plant health. “When people realize that plants are the foundation of the food we eat and the air we breathe, they become agents of change,” commented Sylviane Giroud, Head of the Plant Health Unit at the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety. “A plant is not just a plant—it can also carry other living organisms,” says Giuseppe Stancanelli, Head of the Plant Health Risk Assessment Team at EFSA. “We live in an interconnected world, and plants are being transported more than ever before. That is why the EU relies on science-based risk assessment to understand and manage potential threats to plant health—thereby helping to protect the environment, agriculture, and biodiversity,” adds Stankanelli.
This year, the #PlantHealth4Life campaign focuses on:
Raising awareness about risks to plants (e.g., invasive pests such as *Xylella fastidiosa*).
Encouraging responsible practices among travelers, gardeners, and farmers.
Educating the younger generation about sustainable agriculture. What does this mean for Bulgaria?
Limiting the risks of spreading plant diseases through conscious behavior.
Raising standards in the agricultural and forestry sectors.
Participating in a European network for the exchange of best practices. How does plant health affect our lives?
Plants make up 80% of the food we consume, feed the animals we raise for food, and purify the air we breathe. But that is not all: healthy plants lead to good agricultural harvests, which affects food prices. Climate change and human activities—such as commercial operations and travel—put plants at high risk. The spread of plant pests and diseases can have devastating consequences for farms and the environment. You can find out more about Bulgaria’s participation in the #PlantHealth4Life campaign on the campaign’s national website and on the BFSA (Bulgarian Food Safety Agency) webpage.
About the campaign:
PlantHealth4Life е многогодишна и многонационална кампания, разработена по искане на ЕК и основана на задълбочен анализ на възприятията и поведението на гражданите по отношение на растителното здраве на територията на ЕС.
The campaign continues to expand its themes and scope, welcoming 10 new participants in 2025: Austria, Bulgaria, Italy, the Netherlands, and Romania are joining the 21 participating EU Member States—Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. Four new countries in the accession process—Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, and Turkey—are joining as members of #PlantHealth4Life, alongside Switzerland.
