The fourth annual regional Workshop on locust data collection, analysis, forecast and reporting in CCA took place online on 16-17 February 2023, gathering up to 56 experts from CCA countries and FAO. Its objective was to support the use of the Automated System for Data Collection (ASDC) and Geographic Information System (GIS) “Caucasus and Central Asia Locust Management System (CCALM)” and to have in-depth discussions on possible improvement of both systems. The GIS workshop more specifically allowed to discuss ASDC use last year and ways to increase its coverage during locust survey and control carried out in 2023, as well as the use of CCALM, including of satellite products to analyse locust data. In addition, brainstorming took place on the insertion, in ASDC, of a new form to be used by the Human Health and Environmental Monitoring Teams specifically (in addition to the existing ones, i.e. the Locust Survey Form and the Spray Monitoring Form). As a reminder, ASDC was created to facilitate collection of field data by locust scouts and control operators (on tablets or mobile phones), which are then transmitted to CCALM together with other data for further analysis and forecast. Such tools are expected to play a key role in early warning and response once fully operated by countries. This workshop is held thanks to support from the regional projects funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

A tutorial video is now available in English and in Russian, explaining step-by-step how to use the Automated System for Data Collection (ASDC). The system is used on smartphones and tablets by locust staff in Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) during survey and control operations. It allows digital collection of standardized chrono-, geo- and taxo- referenced locust field data (using two forms, the Locust Survey Form and the Spray Monitoring Form) and it allows real-time transmission of data to the locust GIS entitled “Caucasus and Central Asia Locust Management System (CCALM)”. ASDC is available from the Google Play for most android devices in English, Russian and nine national languages (Armenian, Azeri, Georgian, Dari, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Turkmen and Uzbek). Together with CCALM, it was developed in the framework of the FAO “Programme to improve national and regional locust management in CCA”. This tutorial video on ASDC use was more specifically produced thanks to the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Whenever conventional chemical are used, precautions should be taken to minimize adverse effects on human health and the environment. Calendars for the year 2023 are thus being made available to rural populations living in locust-affected areas of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, where control operations will be conducted throughout the 2023 campaign. Such calendars, which are adapted to the specific context of each country and produced in national languages, deliver practical messages on safety measures to be adopted by local populations, farmers, shepherds, beekeepers and municipalities before, during and after locust control operations, They will be dispatched by the national services in charge of locust management to local populations in the relevant regions. Such awareness raising material for Caucasus countries is realized by FAO with the financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Similar calendars had already being prepared in 2018 to the benefit of Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and in 2022 for Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, against other funding sources under of the FAO “Programme to improve national and regional locust management in Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA)”.

The report of the annual Technical Workshop on Locusts in CCA, which was held on 21-24 November 2022 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, has been published. It reports on the discussions held by nine of the ten countries participating in the FAO “Programme to improve national and regional locust management in the Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA)”, resource partners, observers and FAO organizers. This report includes summaries on: the main features of the 2022 national anti-locust campaign in each country and forecast for 2023; the activities implemented as part of the Programme in 2022 and the workplan for 2023; the latest developments regarding the Geographic Information System (GIS) entitled “Caucasus and Central Asia Locust Management System” (CCALM); risk reduction associated with locust control operations including biopesticides; innovative approaches such as the use of drones; and other technical issues.

The third Project Steering Committee (PSC) of the “Project to improve locust management (Phase 2)” in Central Asia” was held online on 14 December 2022. It gathered the representatives of five of the six beneficiary countries, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as from the resource partner, i.e. from the Japan Embassy in Tajikistan and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and from FAO. It allowed discussing and endorsing the workplan for the project third year, covering the 2023 locust campaign. With a large financial contribution of USD 7.5 million, the project support regional cooperation as well as strengthening of medium to long-term national capacities with a view to prevent and limit the threats posed by locusts and damage to crops and rangelands and thus to contribute to food security and livelihoods in Central Asia.

The annual Technical Workshop on Locusts in CCA is held on 21-24 November 2022 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. It gathers nine of the ten countries participating in the FAO “Programme to improve national and regional locust management in the Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA)” (all except Afghanistan) as well as representatives from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and observers, in addition to the FAO organizers. Discussions concern lessons learnt from the 2022 national anti-locust campaign and preparation of the next one, the implementation of the Programme in 2022 and workplan for 2023, the latest developments regarding the Geographic Information System (GIS) entitled “Caucasus and Central Asia Locust Management System” (CCALM), risk reduction associated with locust control operations including biopesticides, innovative approaches such as the use of drones and other technical issues. This event is possible thanks to the financial support of JICA.

A regional Training-of-Trainers on locust management is being delivered by FAO on 17-28 October 2022 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, to the benefit of about 30 Master-Trainers from six countries, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as the Russian Federation. It includes two sessions, one on locust monitoring and information management, including the Automated System for Data Collection (ASDC) and the “Caucasus and Central Asia Locust Management System” (CCALM), and the other on locust spraying and pesticide risk reduction. The Training-of-Trainers is delivered by highly specialized FAO experts with the objective to transfer both knowledge and teaching skills and tools. As a second step, the Master-Trainers will deliver similar sessions at the national levels, to the benefit of local locust staff. This is organized thanks to the project funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the Central Asian countries while the Russian Federation funds the participation of its experts in the training.

Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are currently benefitting from a regional Training-of-Trainers on locust management, organized for 24 Master-Trainers from the three countries, in Kakheti, Georgia. They will participate in two sessions, one on locust monitoring and information management, including the Automated System for Data Collection (ASDC) and the “Caucasus and Central Asia Locust Management System” (CCALM), and the other on locust spraying and pesticide risk reduction, delivered by highly specialized FAO experts. The objective of the Training-of-Trainers is to transfer both knowledge and teaching skill and tools. As a second step, the Master-Trainers will organize similar sessions at the national levels, to the benefit of other locust staff. This is organized thanks to the project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Good news: the next annual Technical Workshop on Locusts in CCA will be organized in person, after two consecutive meetings held remotely! It is scheduled on 21-24 November 2022 and it will be hosted in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The Technical Workshop will gather the countries participating in the FAO “Programme to improve national and regional locust management in the Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA)”. The objectives will be to discuss the lessons learnt from the 2022 national anti-locust campaigns and preparation of the next ones, the implementation of the Programme in 2022 and work plan for 2023, the latest developments regarding the Geographic Information System (GIS) entitled “Caucasus and Central Asia Locust Management System” (CCALM), as well as risk reduction associated with locust control operations.

With the objective to support the use of the Geographic Information System (GIS) entitled “Caucasus and Central Asia Locust Management System (CCALM)”, a visit of the GIS Expert was made in late July 2022 in Uzbekistan to work closely with the Agency of Plant Protection and Quarantine. It allowed delivering a training course to the attention of 25 managers and staff of the Agency on the use of both the Automated System for Data Collection (ASDC) and CCALM. Then, in-depth work was carried out with four staff designated to be responsible for managing the GIS at the national level, allowing practice on the use and issuance of GIS products. This could be done thanks to the regional project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The two systems, ASDC and CCALM, were developed by FAO and have been introduced in a growing number of CCA countries with a view to improve locust early warning and response.