EMPRES Programme

To better address transboundary pests and diseases affecting animals and plants, the Director-General of FAO launched in 1994 the EMPRES (Emergency Prevention System) Programme, which included a specific component dedicated to the Desert Locust. Implemented from 2006 with the start of Phase I and the initial funding, the programme’s overall objective was to “reduce the risks of Desert Locust invasions and thereby contribute to poverty alleviation, food security, and environmental protection.”

In the Western Region, the EMPRES-RO Programme brought together Algeria, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Chad, and Tunisia. Coordinated by the CLCPRO Secretariat, it supported Member Countries in strengthening national systems for surveillance, prevention, and management of locust risks, serving food security and environmental protection.