@fao-OMAN FAO ADG with Omani officials and other guests

Muscat, February 19, 2017

The Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region (CRC) celebrated its 50th Anniversary at a ceremony held under the patronage of Oman’s Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Fuad bin Jafar bin Al Sajwan. The event was attended by Abdesslam Ould Ahmed, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative at the Regional Office for Near East and North Africa of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); FAO Representative in Oman Nora Ourabah Haddad; senior officials from the CRC 16 member states; representatives of locust control organizations; and diplomats.

Officials from the Omani Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, FAO, and CRC addressed the ceremony, which will be followed by CRC’s 30^th meeting between February 20 and February 24. The meeting will discuss locust control efforts in the region, as well as the necessary measures related to training and the use of technology. It will also review locust emergency response plans in member states.

Engineer Saleh Al Ebri, head of the agricultural development department, said on behalf of the ministry at the opening ceremony that Oman believes in the importance of regional cooperation and values CRC’s efforts to control desert locus by providing member states with technical and logistical assistance as well as staff training programmes. He said the CRC ensures coordination among member states on desert locus surveys, data, and control, as well as prevention of outbreaks and infestations.

Oman, Al Ebri said, supports CRC’s efforts by offering financial, technical, and logistical assistance. In addition to its annual financial contribution, Muscat recently granted funds to the CRC to back its plans. With the help of Omani experts, CRC implemented many regional and international training courses and workshops, according to the official. Oman also hosts and supports many CRC activities, training programmes, seminars, and meetings, he said.

For his part, Abdessalam Ould Ahmed said: "Thanks to the cooperation between countries, to the support of the International Community and to FAO efforts, the prevention strategy followed by the CRC and the two other desert locust commissions has succeeded in significantly reducing the desert locust threat."

He added: "I congratulate the member countries for the achievement but we must remain vigilant, because climate change and conflicts are likely to make harder to fight Desert Locusts and pests."

Over the past 50 years, the CRC controlled several desert locust swarms and outbreaks, creating a successful action mechanism. The CRC formed national locust control units in member states, and trained five generations of staff, providing them with all necessary tools, equipment and skills. The commission is committed to the ongoing development of those control units to keep them updated on the latest scientific research.

The CRC published many guiding manuals on desert locust control, monitoring, movement behavior, spread, and impact. Issuing periodicals in every member state, the commission has helped develop early warning and satellite remote-sensing systems to mitigate the impact of desert locust on crops, pastures, and humans.