FAO Supports Desert Locust Control Operations to Protect Livelihoods in Yemen

Sana’a, 25 March 2020 – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MAI), launched the second phase of its national desert locust control campaign throughout infested areas of Yemen.

The recent influx of desert locusts poses an unprecedented threat to agriculture-based livelihoods and food security in an already fragile Yemen. Last year, 20.1 million Yemenis (67 percent of the population) were food insecure in crisis, emergency or catastrophic IPC conditions (0.24 million were in IPC phase 5 catastrophe, 9.65 million were in IPC phase 4, and 10.2 million were in IPC phase 3) and 97 percent of all districts in the country were facing IPC crisis phase 3 and above conditions.

An additional drop in agriculture harvest would push many small farming families over the edge into uncertainty and deeper into poverty. As a leading global agriculture organization, FAO is equipped to deal with threats of this degree through its emergency programming, upscale control operations and integrated technical and operational capacities.

FAO requires USD 6.2 million to combat the spread of desert locust in Yemen. The amount of territory requiring treatment is vast and often remote. According to the MAI, desert locust populations are present in various levels of concentration, particularly in the inland dry areas and along the coasts. Swarms are likely to continue breeding in the coastal area and move to the dry areas for summer breeding in one to two months. Conditions for breeding will be favourable and surging of swarms is expected during the rainy season that is just started.

FAO Action towards Desert Locust Control in Yemen

The control campaign will track locust status through implementation of field surveys for different breeding areas (winter and summer) and rapid intervention to control band and groups emerge from local breeding and arrival swarms, laying eggs in different breeding areas.

The first phase of the national control campaign took place in late 2019 and early 2020. FAO supported desert locust control operational expenses and provided sprayers and protection suits. Desert locust control activities covered more than 15 800 ha of infested areas benefiting 32 700 households. 

 Locust control efforts require procuring equipment and consumables (pesticides, bio-pesticides, spraying equipment, vehicles, protective clothing) so control activities can be scaled up. Further, supporting national capacity to manage locusts through training and strengthening the MAI’s reporting, surveillance and control capacities.

FAO’s appeal to support early warning control efforts 

“Desert locust represents one of the major risks to agricultural production, livelihoods and food security. For the coming season we are faced with a shortage of funds and unless sustained control operations are carried out, significant losses are likely in Yemen, where 24.1 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection according to the United Nations 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan,”said FAO Representative to Yemen, Hussein Gadain.

Through the support of resource partners, FAO will be able to curb the spread of desert locusts through: 1) locust control operations; 2) safeguarding livelihoods and promoting early recovery; and 3) enhancing coordination and preparedness with local stakeholders in Yemen.

Yemen has three seasonal breeding areas: (a) Winter breeding along the Red Sea including Hajja and Hodeidah governorates and Gulf of Aden coastal plains including Abyan, Lahj, Shabwah, and parts of Albayda and  Hadramaut governorates from about November to March (b) Spring breeding in parts of the coastal area of Abyan and Shabwah governorates from about March to June, and  (c) Summer breeding in the interior of the governorates of Aljawaf, Marib, Shabwah and Almahara from about June to September.