Desert Locusts are a major threat to crop production.
Photo: ©FAO/Carl de Souza

Warning of Desert Locust outbreaks

Due to weather conditions, Desert Locusts multiply and spread causing damage to crops. FAO warns of outbreaks in Yemen and the Horn of Africa.

Desert Locust summer breeding, amplified by heavy rains, can pose a serious threat to agricultural production areas of Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea and parts of Ethiopia and northern Somalia during the next three months, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warns in late July 2019. This could result in potentially adverse impacts on the agricultural seasonal yields and local economies, affecting food security and livelihoods of the populations in the countries concerned.

Intensive ground and aerial control operations mounted in Iran (712 000 ha), Saudi Arabia (219 000 ha) and Sudan (105 000 ha) this year undoubtedly reduced locust populations but could not entirely prevent swarms from forming and moving to the traditional summer breeding areas in Yemen, Sudan, the Horn of Africa and along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border. 

After becoming airborne, swarms of tens of millions of locusts can fly up to 150 km a day with the wind. Desert Locusts (Schistocerca gregaria) live about three months, and a female locust lays about 300 eggs. A Desert Locust adult can consume roughly its own weight in fresh food per day - about two grams every day. A very small swarm eats the same amount of food in one day as about 35 000 People.

Risk of the Desert Locust situation escalating further

There is a moderate to high risk of the Desert Locust situation escalating further in the interior and coastal areas of Yemen and in the interior of Sudan, according to FAO, causing swarms to form that would threaten agricultural production by the end of the summer. This will be followed by further increases along both sides of the Red Sea during the upcoming winter from November onwards.

Given the seriousness of the current locust situation, all countries must monitor the field conditions by mounting regular ground surveys and undertaking the necessary control measures whenever important locust infestations are detected.

FAO operates a Desert Locust Information Service that receives and analyses data from locust-affected countries to assess the current locust situation, provide forecasts and if necessary issue warnings and alerts in order to keep the global community informed of locust developments and threats.

(FAO/ile)

More information at FAO-website: http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1203003/icode/

Visit the Desert Locust Information Service: http://www.fao.org/emergencies/resources/documents/resources-detail/en/c/1202455/

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