It is essential to digitally collect and store the bio-ecological data that are regularly gathered during locust surveys; these data have to be appropriately chrono-, geo- and taxo- referenced for further comparison with available historical information as well as with current data on weather and vegetation. This allows improving data analysis and forecast, which are key for early warning and anticipated reaction, and are fully part of the locust preventive control strategy.

DIGITAL DATA COLLECTION & THE AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR DATA COLLECTION (ASDC)

ASDC was developed under the FAO Locust Programme in CCA to facilitate collection and transmission of standardized chrono-, geo- and taxo- referenced locust field data and thus to feed the locust GIS. The main features are as follows:

• ASDC is based on the Locust Survey Form, the Spray Monitoring Form and the Human Health and Environment Monitoring Form. It is filled in by national field observers during survey and control operations and by the Health and Environmental Monitoring Teams during their field mission.
• It is available to a free software (on “google play”), which can be installed on tablets, mobile phones or computers. User Manual is also available.
• ASDC is available in 11 languages (Russian and English as well as Armenian, Azeri, Georgian, Dari, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Turkmen and Uzbek). 

CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA LOCUST MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CCALM)

The locust GIS in CCA entitled CCALM was developed to facilitate data analysis and forecast, and thus timely locust control – both at the national and regional levels.

It is filled with digitally collected field data (through ASDC or existing national systems in CCA), as well as by other sources, i.e. satellite products.

CCALM includes: basic functions (data import, query, display and output) and advanced functions (summary, analysis, forecast). The advanced functions include a set of output products for analyzing Italian (CIT), Moroccan (DMA) and Asian Migratory (LMI) locusts data and elaborating forecasts, including maps of: (a) locust densities, (b) treated areas, (c) areas infested (or treated) with densities above the Economic Threshold (ET).

CCALM is fully available in English and Russian, at ccalm.org.

The development of digital data collection tool and the GIS CCALM have been a key challenge of the FAO Locust Programme in CCA. Such tools are now used in the ten CCA countries although yet unevenly. Full operational use is critical to improve locust data collection and analysis as well as forecast in CCA.

More information on progress made is available in the reports of the annual GIS Workshops and of the annual Technical Workshops on Locusts in CCA.