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Safeguarding livelihoods of desert locust-affected farmers and exploring eco-friendly control methods – OSRO/ETH/007/GER









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    Safeguarding livelihoods of desert locust-affected farmers and exploring eco-friendly control methods - OSRO/ETH/007/GER 2021
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    The increasing frequency and magnitude of climatic extremes and plant pests over the years have left many rain dependent farming and herding communities of Ethiopia particularly vulnerable to food insecurity. The most recent shock has taken the form of Ethiopia’s worst desert locust outbreak in 25 years. Ethiopia has been on the frontline of the invasion, which has damaged tens of thousands of hectares of cropland and pasture across the Greater Horn of Africa, with severe consequences for agriculture based livelihoods in contexts where food security is already fragile. FAO is supporting countries’ capacities that risk being overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis, and has responded to the Government of Ethiopia’s request for urgent support in its desert locust response. This includes providing technical and operational support to locust control initiatives as well as supporting the livelihoods of the most vulnerable affected populations. The main focus of this project is to assist farmers and agropastoralists negatively affected by the invasion in protecting their livelihoods, while simultaneously supporting efforts to make desert locust control mechanisms more environmentally friendly.
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    Uganda – Food security and livelihoods in areas affected by desert locusts, September 2020
    Assessment report
    2021
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    This report outlines the results of a household survey carried out in August–September 2020 to assess the impact of desert locust invasions on food security and livelihoods in Uganda. In 2019–2020, the Horn of Africa was affected by what was described by FAO as the worst desert locust infestation in over 25 years. Desert locust swarms pose a severe threat to agriculture-based livelihoods, particularly in areas where food security is already fragile. The first swarm of locusts entered the Ugandan subregion of Karamoja – already the most food-insecure subregion in the country – on 9 February 2020. By September 2020, desert locusts had been sighted in over 20 districts in the Acholi, Elgon, Karamoja, Lango, and Teso subregions. To assess the impact of the desert locust invasions, a survey of 7 800 households was carried out in the affected subregions. Data collection, processing, and analysis were carried out by a technical team comprising staff of the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, district local governments, Makerere University and FAO; Catholic Relief Services provided support during the collection and validation of the data. The assessment found that the desert locust invasions had had a negative impact on the livelihoods and food security of a majority of households in all surveyed subregions. Based on the results of the assessment, a number of recommendations for response options (including control measures and livelihood support programmes) were formulated. A critical need to improve Uganda’s desert locust preparedness by strengthening the country’s capacities for real-time surveillance, rapid verification and deployment of control teams upon confirmation was highlighted.
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    Emergency Assistance to Desert Locust Monitoring and Control Operations in Ethiopia in 2019/2020 - TCP/ETH/3706 2021
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    Ethiopia is one of eastern Africa’s frontline DL breeding and invasion areas, with the lowland areas of northern, eastern, southern and southwestern Ethiopia providing key ecological niches An irregular but persistent economic pest, DL has caused serious damage to green natural pastures, crops and forest cover since the remote past, devouring all the green vegetation in its breeding sites and routes of migration in low lying areas throughout the eastern and southern parts of the country The most recent phase of breeding and invasion began in June 2019 and, despite every effort to control swarms and hoppers, continues to this date The seriousness of the DL situation in East Africa, as well as regular forecasts by the Desert Locust Information Service, indicated that the problem would escalate further in Ethiopia as a result of the favourable weather conditions, which encouraged breeding and invasion well into the winter and spring seasons of 2020 In order to avoid even greater ecological and economic damage, the existing survey and control operations needed to be intensified The Government of Ethiopia and FAO thus mobilized the equipment and resources required to prevent the escalation of infestation during the spring and summer breeding seasons of 2020 and beyond FAO support in the organization of effective survey and control operations in the affected areas was aimed at protecting crops and grasslands, and reducing the incidence of crisis on the food security and livelihoods of the communities involved.

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