THE TASK FORCE

The challenge issued at ICPP98 to establish an ISPP Task Force on Global Food Security was taken up by the Executive Committee of the ISPP.

The function of such a Task Force is potentially so demanding and open-ended that its activities had to be sharply focused if tangible results were to be achieved by an organization with limited resources such as ISPP. ISPP Executive therefore proposed to proceed according to the following principles:

• ISPP would establish a small Task Force to address initially the nature of the global food security problem, and the principles and modalities whereby plant pathologists may realistically tackle it.
• Attention would be focused on delivering tangible results of demonstrable benefit to global food security.
• A programme would be chosen that could benefit from ISPP's facilitating or coordinating role in relation to existing or planned programmes in plant pathology, rather than from initiation of new work.
• Achievable results were likely to derive from coordinating existing research programmes, or through surveying incidence of damage, or through supporting extension or outreach programmes.
• ISPP's own funds were very limited, so fundraising in support of such action would probably be one objective.
• The first activity of the Task Force would be to convene a meeting in 1999, to agree a work programme for the following 3 years, with a budget and time schedule.
• The work of the Task Force would be monitored by ISPP Executive Council and reported to the Membership through Councillors. Feedback from the Membership would be encouraged, to guide the future programme.