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Emergency Assistance to Desert Locust Monitoring and Control Operations in Ethiopia in 2019/2020 - TCP/ETH/3706

Year of publication 2021

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 6

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Project

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) 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.

Language English

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