Response to the locust plague

Abstract

Madagascar is prone to natural disasters, including drought, flooding, cyclones and locust crises. The current locust plague began in April 2012, following a twoyear upsurge that was not addressed owing to insufficient means. Given the extent of the plague, as well Madagascar’s high rates of food insecurity and malnutrition, the food security of 13 million people (60 percent of the population) could be affected. To address this dire situation, the Ministry of Agriculture of Madagascar and the Fo od and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) developed a Three-year Programme (2013-2016) in response to the plague, for which funds have been actively sought since December 2012.