FAO desert locust operations situation update

While operations to control the Desert Locust in Western Africa, Iran and Pakistan have proven effective in calming the outbreak, new and persistent immature swarms are currently endangering Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia and threatening additional countries in the Horn of Africa. Swarms have migrated from Yemen to Saudi Arabia via the Red Sea coast.

With the support of the European Union, the Kingdom of Belgium, many other EU Member States and other partners, FAO has adopted innovative approaches and increased its capacity throughout the year to accelerate control actions. It has managed to train greater numbers of personnel, increase surveillance, and outfit spraying aircraft with the right equipment.

In 2020, FAO  has treated more than 1.5 million ha of land against Desert Locust, according to the latest Progress Report on the Response in the Greater Horn of Africa and Yemen, September-December 2020, issued in early February.

The ongoing crises in Eastern Africa have highlighted the importance of building resilient livelihoods and agrifood systems, which have the capacity to cope with increasingly frequent and more extreme shocks. FAO continues to assist households in efforts to improve their food security and livelihoods: In 2020, more than 200 000 households received FAO support in the Greater Horn of Africa and Yemen.

In 2020, FAO mobilized a total of USD 191 million to respond to the desert locust upsurge in the Greater Horn of Africa and Yemen. FAO has used this strong support to protect enough food production capacity to feed 28 million people for an entire year. However, the total funding raised represents only about 83 percent of the requested USD 230 million until June 2021.

Building on this solid foundation of support is essential, as national governments and stakeholders in the region will need to sustain these actions in the months to come.

More information is available in the latest FAO Desert locust situation update.