DESERT LOCUST:  FAO URGES INCREASED VIGILANCE -– INTENSIVE

SURVEY OPERATIONS NEEDED IN WEST AFRICA, SUDAN

 

(Reissued as received.)

ROME, 24  June (FAO) -- Survey operations should be intensified in the Sudan and neighbouring Eritrea as several swarms have moved east across the Sudan from Darfur towards the Gedaref area and the border with Eritrea in mid-June, according to the latest Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Desert Locust update.

In early June, a few swarms, originating from the so-called Southern Circuit in Guinea, moved across West Africa eventually reaching western Darfur where they quickly matured.  Some swarms laid eggs in western and northern Darfur, while others moved eastwards, first appearing in western and northern Kordofan and then continuing across the NileRiver to Gedaref in eastern Sudan.  Some swarms may have already reached the western lowlands of Eritrea and north-west Ethiopia.

Hatching and hopper band formation are likely to start by the end of June in Darfur.

In North-west Africa, in the spring breeding areas, desert locust infestations continued to decline.  In north-east Morocco, six hectares of small residual populations of hoppers were treated near Oujda during the first decade of the month.  In the south of Algeria, near Tamanrasset, control operations treated 1,200 hectares of hoppers and scattered adults during the first week of June.

Mali, Niger, Chad

In West Africa, large-scale swarms are thought unlikely to invade the Sahel this year, but there has been an unconfirmed report by nomads of two swarms in northern Mali in early June. Last year, huge swarms invaded the Sahelian countries from North-west Africa causing extensive damage.  More than $200 million were spent by the FAO, the Maghreb countries and the international community to fight the worst locust upsurge in 15 years.

To prevent a repetition of last year’s disaster, intensive survey operations should be immediately launched in Mali, Niger and Chad, continued in Mauritania and maintained in all of these countries during the summer breeding season, according to FAO Desert Locust expert, Clive Elliott.

The FAO is planning to deploy helicopters to Mauritania, Mali and the Niger to reinforce survey and control capacities.

The most up-to-date information on the Desert locust situation is available on the new FAO locust web site (www.fao.org/ag/locusts).

Contact:  Pierre Antonios, Media Relations Officer, FAO, e-mail: pierre.antonios@fao.org, tels: (+39) 06 570 53473, (+39) 348 25 23 807.

Radio:  Liliane Kambirigi, Radio Information Officer, (+39) 06 570 53223. Television:  Bou Downes, TV Information Officer, (+39) 06 570 55980/53963.  Photos:  FAO’s photo library offers hi-quality images free of charge.  Visit http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/photo/.  Online news from FAO:  http://www.fao.org/newsroom/.

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