Locust Watch
Locusts in Caucasus and Central Asia
Tajikistan, 2008. ©FAO/A. Monard

Why a regional approach?

Locusts have a high capacity to multiply, form groups and, on top of that, to migrate over relatively long distances -they can fly up to 100 km per day - to settle and breed in various habitats.

In Caucasus and Central Asia, political borders are situated across traditional locust habitats and breeding areas.

Map: Locust in Caucasus

Map: Locust in Caucasus

Map: Locust in Central Asia

Map: Locust in Central Asia

 

If a country faces locust infestations or outbreak, it is more than likely than at least one neighbouring country faces a similar situation. In other words, even if a country is able to properly manage the locust situation by carrying out appropriate control operations in its own territory, it is not protected from locust infestations arriving from neighboring countries, which represents a threat to food security in addition to a source of tension between countries.

Considering the transboundary nature of locusts and countries' political borders in CCA, any sustainable solution these pests can only result from PREVENTION & REGIONAL COOPERATION. 

One of the key challenge for the coming years will be the identification of sustainable mechanism for a long-term regional cooperation on locusts in CCA. See also "Regional cooperation"