Outbreak of Moroccan locusts

Subject : Environment

Section: Places in news

Context: Outbreak of Moroccan locusts will destroy 25% of annual wheat production in Afghanistan: FAO

More on the News:

The ‘large-scale’ outbreak of the Moroccan locust across eight provinces in Afghanistan’s wheat basket is likely to destroy 700,000-1.2 million tonnes of wheat or a quarter of the total annual harvest, alerted the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
This translates to $280 million-$480 million in economic losses— as of today’s prices in the country, stated FAO.
Under such circumstances, if the Moroccan locust population is left untreated, its population can increase 100 times in the next year, the FAO said. This will create even bigger problems for agriculture and food security for Afghanistan and that of its neighbours Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
In Afghanistan, more than 6.1 million people are on the brink of famine-like conditions which puts the country in Phase 4 (emergency) of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, according to the preliminary projections for November 2022-March 2023.
It is among the countries with the highest prevalence of insufficient food consumption. Hunger is primarily driven by the economic crisis that has gripped Afghanistan since August 2021, compounded by decades of conflict and climate shocks, according to 2023 Global report on food crisis

Reason for Outbreak:

Locust populations usually go up when temperatures are above average and rainfall below normal. The geographical spread of the Moroccan locust is normal when spring rainfall (from March to May) is about 100 millimetres.
But spring rainfall below 100 mm for the second or third consecutive year usually leads to an increase in the population of Moroccon locusts.
Afghanistan has entered into the third consecutive year of drought, creating the ideal environment for locusts to hatch and swarm.
There has been a shortage of chemical supplies across the country. As a result of this, the traditional ‘mechanical control’ methods were used to control the outbreak. Chemical locust control methods are far more effective than mechanical control.
So, effective ways to control the outbreaks is urgent funding to support both mechanical and chemical control measures, alongside on-the ground surveys to monitor and map locust hatching sites, stated the FAO.