A technical workshop on Locusts in Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA), organised by FAO and its Representation in Georgia, is hosted in Tbilisi for the second time. This workshop is an activity within the framework of the Five-year programme to improve national and regional locust management in Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA), officially launched in October 2011 to benefit ten countries.

The goal of the workshop was to bring together over 20 locust specialists from the 10 CCA countries as well as key experts in locust management to discuss national locust campaigns in 2014 and forecasts for 2015, implementation of the Programme, developing monitoring and analysing systems (Geographic Information System and remote sensing), and issues related to locust control and risk reduction for human health and the environment.

Locusts and grasshoppers pose a serious threat for agriculture in Caucasus and Central Asia. Due to the transboundary nature of the locusts and political borders in Caucasian and Central Asian countries crossing their traditional habitats, any sustainable solution against these agricultural pests can only result from well-coordinated prevention relying on improved national and regional locust management. This includes adequate preparation by each single country as well as concerted joint efforts. Based on fundamental principles of locust preventive strategy, appropriate monitoring of locust habitats at critical periods of their development is a must to allow early detection of changes in number, density and behaviour, which results in an early warning and rapid reaction.

The strategic objective of the Programme is to contribute to food security and livelihoods of rural populations in Caucasus and Central Asia by preventing, controlling and limiting threats posed by locusts and damage to crops and rangelands. Its immediate objective is to improve national and regional locust management in ten countries of Caucasus, Central Asia and adjacent areas.

Consistent with its mandate, FAO plays an important role in coordinating efforts to manage locust issues at global level. In particular, it provides technical assistance for supporting adequate and timely locust monitoring, introducing less hazardous pesticides and updated techniques for locust control operations and promoting their use, thus safeguarding human health and the environment, and developing regional cooperation for dealing with these transboundary plant pests.

The Programme is funded by USAID, Turkey and FAO through its Regular (RP) and Technical Cooperation Programmes.