Caucasus and Central Asia experts discuss measures to sustainably combat locusts

Bishkek – The Thirteenth annual technical workshop on locust management is underway (20 —24 November) in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic. The meeting is organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Ministry of the Agriculture of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, with the financial support of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

In the battle against locusts, early warning, early reaction respect for human health and the environment are crucial for success

Locust and grasshopper outbreaks are an ongoing threat to agriculture in the Caucasus and Central Asia regions, with more than 25 million hectares and 20 million peoples vulnerable to the damage done by the migratory pests. Three locust pests, the Italian (Calliptamus italicus), the Moroccan (Dociostaurus maroccanus) and the Migratory (Locusta migratoria) locusts, jeopardize food security and livelihoods in this area. Locusts multiply, form groups, and migrate over relatively large distances —they can fly up to 100 km per day— and settle and breed in various habitats and are highly adaptable to new conditions forming due to climate change.

“Migratory pests do not recognize state borders,” said Kuvatbek Bapaev, Technical Adviser at the FAO Representation in Kyrgyzstan. “Our common objective is to reduce the probability of occurrence of locust outbreaks in the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is therefore important to strengthen our regional cooperation on locusts, disaster risk reduction, and further strengthening of national capacities.”

In 2011, FAO initiated the programme to improve national and regional locust management in the Caucasus and Central Asia to benefit ten countries. It aligns with FAO’s locust preventive control strategy and its overall objective is to reduce the occurrence and intensity of locust outbreaks in the Caucasus and Central Asia, to limit threats or damage to crops and rangelands and safeguard rural population food security and livelihoods. It also aims to minimize the use of chemicals for locust control, which are hazardous to human health and the environment. The immediate objectives are to develop regional cooperation and strengthen national capacities.

It was to achieve this goal that FAO and its partners organized the technical workshop, hosted by Kyrgyzstan for the third time since 2011. Participants attended from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as FAO experts and observers. The event was a forum for knowledge and information exchange, and lessons learned from the 2023 national anti-locust campaign and the preparation for upcoming efforts. The meeting will also address the workplan for 2024, the latest developments in the Caucasus and Central Asia Locust Management System, which is a Geographic Information System, and risk reduction associated with locust control operations. A specific session will be devoted to the promotion and use of biopesticides against locusts.

“It is important to point out that significant progress has been made in introducing and promoting advanced and innovative technologies for the management of locusts. In particular, adequate locust monitoring is crucial for early warning and response,” said Shoki Al Dobai, Team Leader of Locusts and Transboundary Plant Pests and Diseases. “In terms of control, focus is put on modern technologies and less hazardous pesticides, especially biopesticides that are efficient while being safe for human health and the environment.” 

FAO coordinates regional and national efforts

In addition to the technical workshop, the fourth Project Steering Committee of the “Project to improve locust management (Phase 2)” in Central Asia will be held for project countries on 23 November. While the technical workshop will allow technical discussions, this committee will focus on programmatic aspects. As an output of the technical workshop and the Project Steering Committee, the annual workplan for the FAO programme, relying on different funding sources and covering the 2024 locust campaign will be refined and endorsed, with a view to continue strengthening regional cooperation and national capacities next year.