FAO’s latest Locust Situation Update on 3 November urges a carefully monitoring of the locust situation in northwest Africa after unusually heavy rains in Western Sahara in late September. The rains created favourable conditions for locust breeding.
Some quick locust facts from FAO
There is no evidence that desert locust plagues occur after a specific number of years, but plagues do develop intermittently.
During quiet periods, desert locusts are usually restricted to the semi-arid and arid deserts of Africa, the Near East and southwest Asia that receive less than 200mm of rain annually.
Locusts are edible. See recipes.
ma/bp/cb
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions