Winning The Battle Against Desert Locusts
Desert locust upsurge could have devastating consequences in vulnerable regions affected by recurrent drought, conflict, high food prices and now fighting COVID-19 pandemic. Outlook Web Bureau May 07, 2021
For the unsuspecting farmer, the Desert Locust is a formidable enemy. These pests have a voracious appetite with the capacity to devour vast swathes of crops and pastureland on the way, multiply rapidly and can travel up to 150 km/day.
According to some reports, it was the first time since the locust plague of 1926-31 that swarms of locusts took the National Capital Region by surprise in June 2020.
A high-tech response is helping countries win battle against Desert Locusts
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FAO and its partners are creating cutting-edge technology to destroy the pests
For the unsuspecting farmer, the Desert Locust is a formidable enemy. These wretched pests have a voracious appetite, multiply rapidly and travel up to 150 kilometers a day with the capacity to devour vast swathes of crops and pastureland on the way.
In the past year, waves of the insidious insect swept across East Africa, Yemen and southwest Asia in massive swarms that contained up to 80 million in a single square kilometre.
The threat to agriculture and food security has been immense and the challenge to bring them under control, urgent.
Les technologies de pointe aident les pays à remporter la bataille contre le criquet pèlerin fao.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from fao.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
FAO warns danger posed by desert locust swarms is far from over
Thursday April 29 2021
Desert locusts destroy maize in Meru, Kenya. Experts term them a biological time bomb and professional survivalists attuned to changes in climate. PHOTO | AFP
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The desert locust swarms are on the decline in the East African region largely due to large-scale control operations mounted by governments and supported by FAO over the past 14 months and poor rains.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said the control measures reduced the risk of desert locusts and averted a food crisis in the region.
“The desert locust crisis is far from over. Now, countries have systems in place, teams in place, and are maintaining a state of full readiness,” said Cyril Ferrand, Manager of FAO s Desert Locust response in East Africa.