Background

National and regional conflicts around the world have displaced many plant pathologists in the past and present, creating financial hardships and threatening lives and livelihoods. During March 2022, the International Society for Plant Pathology established a “Resilience Bursary for Plant Pathologists”. The purpose of the fund is to support emergency/refugee situations, specifically providing support for plant pathologists.

The current urgent need is support for the plant pathologists from Ukraine, some of whom are reaching Poland as refugees (Figure 1). ISPP is providing support for fellow plant pathologist refugees and the vital work that they have been doing to reduce plant disease losses and assure food and fiber security in the region.

ISPP Resilience Fund

The idea of ISPP Resilience Bursary emerged during dialog with the Polish Phytopathological Society (PPS) President and ISPP Councillor, who indicated that colleagues were arriving or expected in Poland along with their children with Polish collaborating institutions arranging accommodation and living support for c. $1,000 per month. This provided a platform for the ISPP to deliver support and the Resilience Bursary Fund was established to collect and distribute support.

The ISPP has allocated $6,000 from its reserves with an additional $10,000+ already received or committed by ISPP associated societies and individuals. In the current partnership with the PPS, each $1,000 of funding provides one month support for an individual plant pathologist. Fund collection, disbursement and acquittal processes are being overseen by the ISPP Treasurer with the ISPP executive approving the initial and any subsequent disbursements.

Polish Phytopathological Society – Role and Reporting

The Polish Phytopathological Society (PPS) / Polskie Towarzystwo Fitopatologiczne was established in 1971. Membership of the PPS is about 300 plant pathologists and specialists on plant protection. It has eight branches distributed across Poland. One of the aims of PPS activity is to keep and upgrade cooperation with national and foreign plant pathologists. Based on this rule, the Presidium and the Board of PPS have created a new Commission for Cooperation, with the PPS President, two deputy presidents, secretary and the treasurer constituting this body to assist in delivery. The PPS amended their regulations and developed mechanisms for allocating and monitoring support. The individual scientist application and reporting procedures are being developed bearing in mind that refugee arrivals have faced trauma and loss already, with uncertainty about their spouses and other family in Ukraine.

According to the regulations of PPS, the Commission chooses successful candidates. Potential recipients apply in writing and indicate their willingness to accept the funding, and either provide proof they are plant pathologists, or indicate they want to increase their knowledge and skills in plant pathology (this also helps PPS find the relevant lab). The application is simple and the PPS asks for available documentation, but this proof is not compulsory. The PPS checks research profiles (Research Gate, LinkedIn etc.). The decisions made by the Commission are in the form of resolutions. Each scientist reports regularly to their supervisor with collaboration tailored to experience, and current research projects at the host institution and or the scientist’s home institution. The PPS is providing ISPP with details of the scientists’ activities, their Polish supervisors and host institutes and projects.

Progress: The initial ISPP funds have been transferred to the PPS who have chosen three candidates (Figure 2.), with a fourth one on her way to Poznan:
(1) Yuliia hosted at Institute of Plant Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences Pathogen Genetics and Plant Resistance Team – POZNAŃ
(2) Yuliia hosted at Jagiellonian University, Institute of Environmental Sciences –CRACOW
(3) Tetiana hosted at European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology, Polish Academy of Sciences (UNESCO) – ŁODZ
(4) Zoya hosted at Institute of Plant Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences Plant Microbiomics Team – POZNAŃ (arrival in May)