Locust Invasion Likely to Cause Worst Agricultural Crisis in Pakistan in Next 25 Years: UN

A report is issued by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations titled  ‘Desert locust situation in Pakistan’ recently. The authority has warned of a potentially serious food security crisis this year in several regional countries, including Pakistan, due to locust attacks. “In Pakistan, 38 per cent of the area (60pc in […] The post Locust Invasion Likely to Cause Worst Agricultural Crisis in Pakistan in Next 25 Years: UN appeared first on Nation Bytes.

Jul 22, 2020 - 16:40 Updated: Jul 22, 2020 - 16:40
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Locust Invasion Likely to Cause Worst Agricultural Crisis in Pakistan in Next 25 Years: UN

A report is issued by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations titled  ‘Desert locust situation in Pakistan’ recently. The authority has warned of a potentially serious food security crisis this year in several regional countries, including Pakistan, due to locust attacks.

“In Pakistan, 38 per cent of the area (60pc in Balochistan, 25pc in Sindh and 15pc in Punjab) are breeding grounds for the desert locust, whereas the entire country is under the threat of invasion if the desert locust is not contained in the breeding regions,” reads the report

  • Furthermore, the report highlights the following:
  • Migration pattern of desert locust in South West Asia.
  • Its current invasion in different countries.
  • The potential impact on Pakistan’s agricultural economy as well as the ongoing efforts of Pakistan’s government to contain the pest and the emerging scenario.

Reportedly, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan on the issue. He had warned the PM of a locust invasion after May 15 and asked him to make arrangements for spraying pesticides on crops using helicopters.

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has also taken to Twitter to vent out about the federal government’s “negligence” in the matter.

Moreoever, the report by UN highlighted that locusts swarms are coming to Pakistan from Iran and Africa. According to the reports Pakistan and Iran are more exposed to swarms attacks because the locusts breeding occurs in these areas.

“As it is now the beginning of the seasonal rainy period, another generation of breeding will take place that is expected to cause a dramatic increase in locust numbers in East Africa. Locusts will also increase in eastern Yemen and southern Iran in the coming months. Consequently, there is potential for a serious invasion to occur (in Pakistan) at the beginning of the summer this year by swarms migrating from the Horn of Africa and from Iran,” the report says.

Focusing on Pakistan

The report says that spring breeding will continue in the next few weeks in the coastal and interior areas of Balochistan and an increasing number of hoppers will become adults and form groups as well as perhaps a few small swarms.

No major presence of locust in Sindh, however, was noted at the time the report was prepared.

Towards the end of May, populations will begin to move from the spring breeding areas in Balochistan and adjacent areas of southeast Iran to the summer breeding areas along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border. This movement will continue throughout June.

“As a result, swarms that are not detected or treated in the spring areas are likely to cross the Indus Valley and reach the desert areas in Tharparkar, Nara and Cholistan in time for the start of the monsoon rains.

“This year the situation is aggravated as for the first time in many decades, there is a second threat of invasion by swarms in East Africa in late June and during July,” the report says.

Also Read: Locust Swarms To Be More Dangerous Than Coronavirus

Source: Dawn.com

The post Locust Invasion Likely to Cause Worst Agricultural Crisis in Pakistan in Next 25 Years: UN appeared first on Nation Bytes.