In a ceremony held at the Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II (IAV) in Agadir (Morocco), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and IAV Hassan II sealed a partnership by signing an agreement to establish a master’s program in Acridology. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the ongoing Desert Locust sustainable preventive control strategy in the Western and Central regions.

FAO and National Desert Locust Control Center in Morocco jointly organized a training session to deploy Locust Pesticides Management System (L-PMS) for Ethiopian plant protection personnel. The course, which runs 10-15 July 2023, is part of the larger project (GCP-INT-1032-USA) funded by USAID/BHA to reduce Desert Locust risks in the Central Region and the Horn of Africa. The project will be implemented in eight countries over the next four years, with the objective of safeguarding the food security and livelihoods of pastoral and rural populations.

 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) organized a workshop on "The Preparedness of SFE Countries for the Threat of Banana Fusarium Wilt Tropical Race 4” in Nairobi, Kenya, between 12-16 June 2023. This activity is a part of the implementation of the global project OSRO/GLO/208/USA financed by the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (USAID BHA) and aims to build alliances between all relevant stakeholders to strengthen plant health emergency management capacities of FAO member countries. 

The FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Western Region (CLCPRO) organizes a workshop to develop the fifth regional training plan for the period 2023 – 2026 in Oran (Algeria), from 5 to 9 June 2023. This event brings together the Directors General of the national locust control units of the ten CLCPRO member countries, as well as the ‘training focal points’ of the front-line countries, namely Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Chad.

the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with the support of the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA)-USAID is organizing a workshop on "Strengthening Plant Health Emergency Management Capacities of the SADC Countries" in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 5-9 June 2023.

The Secretariat of the three Desert Locust Control Commissions (CRC, CLCPRO, and SWAC) and the Desert Locust Information Service (DLIS) jointly organized an inter-regional workshop for the nationally designated Locust Information Officers in the respective regions on 21-27 May in 2023 Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

In a virtual meeting held on Wednesday 17 May 2023, a productive exchange took place between the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) locust experts and the administration of the Italian Sardinia region. The meeting served as a platform for Sardinian locust experts to present the measures implemented thus far, thanks to their regional expertise and in line with the recommendations provided by FAO's Senior Locust Management Expert, Alexandre Latchininsky.

The new refurbished DLIS will benefit from the much-needed renovation to address weaknesses and limitations in the previous workspace. As foreseen by the project, the renovated premises now host technical officers as well as the Senior Officer in a layout that encourages close collaboration and personal interactions. 

Desert locusts are among the most destructive insects in the world. They are notorious for devastating crops and pastures, and severely affecting the livelihoods of millions of people every year, particularly in Africa and Asia. They continue to pose a significant threat to food security, livelihoods, and socio-economic development in the countries of the Desert Locust range.

The red palm weevil (RPW) is a highly destructive transboundary pest that can cause serious damage to date palm trees, leading to the death of the infested trees. The outbreak and uncontrolled speared of the RPW pose a significant threat to the national economy, rural community food security and livelihoods...