The Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is the most destructive migratory pest in the world. These ravenous eaters can consume food crops and forage equivalent to their own weight in a day. Just a single square kilometer of swarm can contain up to 80 million adults, with a capacity to consume the same quantity of food of 35 000 people in a day. 

In response to this plant pest threatening the food security and livelihoods of rural people, the FAO-China SSC Programme implemented its first USD 2 million emergency project from June 2020 to June 2021 to support FAO’s global efforts on the control of the desert locust. As the plant pest spread across the globe, the FAO-China SSC Programme targeted host countries in different regions, offering concrete support to the most vulnerable people on the ground. 

The project supported five countries impacted by the desert locust namely Ethiopia, Iran, Kenya, Pakistan, and Uganda, with the aim of curbing the spread of the pest through South-South and triangular Cooperation. This involved sharing and applying new and effective low-cost technologies and solutions. 

To achieve its objective, the project focused on providing resources for the purchase of needed inputs/goods to combat the desert locust, and capacity building for the local government officers, extension services, and farmers. 

In this regard, the project contributed to the treatment of 72 000 hectares of area infested by the desert locus in Ethiopia, while 313 000 hectares were treated in Iran through ground and aerial operations. 

In Kenya, FAO hired vehicles that supported surveys in 16 counties. The survey results informed control decisions in which 91 332 hectares were treated during the project period. In Pakistan, thanks to this project, FAO procured and distributed ten single-cabin vehicles for the mounting of Ultra-Low Volume sprayers to strengthen the country’s capacities in the desert locust control operations. 

In Uganda, the project provided three capacity development courses on the eLocust3 platform, desert locust identification and behavior for 71 officials from district local governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). 

This first emergency project under the FAO-China SSC Programme was able to protect cropping areas, contributing to resilience and food security of households affected by the desert locust. Through this project, national capacities were successfully strengthened in desert locust monitoring, rapid response, safety in pesticide use and demonstrating the efficacy of South-South cooperation as a powerful mechanism to support developing countries in emergency settings.

This project was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to the strong coordination of FAO's decentralized offices , the project was able to deliver and achieve its goals, even during these trying times. 

See more: Launching of the 1st emergency project of the FAO-China SSC Programme to support FAO's global efforts on the Desert Locust control (here)