18th International Congress announcement

Dear Plant Health Community, 

We are pleased to invite you to the 18th Congress of the Mediterranean Phytopathological Union (MPU), to be held in Cairo, Egypt, from 15 to 18 November 2027. The Mediterranean region is facing rapidly evolving challenges to plant health, agricultural sustainability, food security, and food safety, driven by climate change, emerging pests and diseases, water scarcity, soil degradation, and increasing pressure on agricultural resources. Addressing these interconnected challenges requires stronger scientific cooperation, technological innovation, knowledge exchange, and coordinated regional action. The Congress will also provide a multidisciplinary scientific forum bringing together researchers, universities, research institutions, policymakers, agricultural stakeholders, industry representatives, and young scientists from Mediterranean countries and beyond. It will promote the exchange of knowledge and experience, foster new scientific partnerships, and facilitate the development of innovative and practical solutions for healthy, resilient, sustainable, and safe agri food systems.

Congress Objectives:

• Addressing emerging threats to plant health, including diseases, invasive
  species and climate-related stresses.
• Strengthening the role of plant health as a cornerstone of food security and
  food safety.
• Promoting scientific, technological, and digital innovation in plant health and
  crop protection.
• Fostering regional and international research cooperation, knowledge
  exchange, technology transfer, and capacity building.
• Promoting evidence-based policies and coordinated regional responses to
  transboundary plant health and food safety challenges.
• Developing practical and scalable solutions supporting sustainable and
  resilient Mediterranean agri-food systems.
• Mediterranean Cooperation, Research and Capacity Building.