Locusts threaten northern Africa

2005-06-24 15:00

Rome - The United Nation's (UN) Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned on Friday of new threats to African countries from locusts swarms, while repeating that West African states which were ravaged last year should escape this time.

Most at risk were Eritrea and Sudan's western Darfur region, already suffering a humanitarian disaster because of civil war, the FAO said, while locusts had also been seen in parts of Algeria, Morocco and Mali.

"Survey operations should be intensified in Sudan and neighbouring Eritrea as several swarms have moved east across Sudan from Darfur towards the Gedaref area and the border with Eritrea in mid-June," said the FAO.

In early June, a few swarms, originating from Guinea, moved across West Africa, eventually reaching western Darfur where they quickly matured, it said.

"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 Nile River to Gedaref in eastern Sudan.

"Some swarms may have already reached the western lowlands of Eritrea and northwest Ethiopia."

Locust infestations declined in some areas

In Northwest Africa locust infestations continued to decline, though small populations were found and treated in northeast Morocco and southern Algeria, the FAO said.

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, the report said.

"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," it said, quoting locust expert Clive Elliott.

Last year, huge swarms invaded the Sahelian countries from northwest Africa causing extensive damage in the worst locust upsurge in 15 years. The FAO, regional countries and the international community spent more than $200m in combating it.

- AFP