Locusts Move Across West Africa

ROME - Oct 13/04 - SNS -- Locust swarms are again moving across the Sahelian countries of West Africa and the campaign to control them is entering a critical phase, says the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

As the control campaign gathered momentum following the arrival of donor funds, reports reaching Rome spoke of numerous swarms, some of them moving northwards into southwest Libya, southern Algeria and the borders of Morocco. Others were reported in the south of Western Sahara.

"Six fixed wing aircraft are arriving this week to join the four we already have operating in the region, and they will be followed shortly by four helicopters," said Clive Elliott, Head of FAO's Locust Group. "Hundreds of thousands of liters of pesticide have been ordered, and large quantities have been delivered to protect crops in the Sahelian countries. Operations in the near future will need to switch to the northern parts of the Sahara to protect North African countries.."

In the past month donor funds reaching FAO have accelerated at a remarkable rate. FAO first warned of the crisis in October 2003, and in February 2004 appealed for $9 million. By August this requirement had grown to $100 million, but by mid-September only $2 million had been received.

Subscribers can read the full text of the article by Clicking here