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...

Since FAO first developed and introduced drones for Desert Locust survey operations, FAO and its commissions, for controlling the Desert Locusts in the Central Region (CRC) and for Controlling Desert Locusts in the Western Region (CLCPRO), have been at work to increase drone use on the field by member countries.

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.

FAO is developing a new system to track, manage and reduce pesticides and related equipment: the Locust Pesticide Management System (Locust-PMS). This system is meant to create a database and provide countries with

Scientific research on desert locust outbreaks can considerably improve the strategies and means of control, potentially reducing the threat posed to human life posed by this voracious insect.