Parasite invasions and food security

Global food security is of vital importance. Without it, we risk the collapse of our food chain and put important culture systems at risk of parasitism. A major risk in food security is the sudden appearance of a parasite that could decimate crops, livestock or impact human health. In this chapter we provide an overview of how invasions pose a significant risk of parasite introduction for food production systems, and how policy and management are currently poised to respond to such events. Biosecurity measures, designed to mitigate invasions, represent a vital area for further development. Socially, human communities could be at high risk of losing crops and livestock to invasive parasites, which could result in multiple knock-on effects. Protecting food security is a priority at all levels of the supply chain, from disease preventative measures on farms, to enhanced and integrated legislation/ policy to prevent the spread of both invasive hosts and parasites.