FAO Locusts Management Programme organizes the Annual Technical Workshop for Caucasus and Central Asia countries
It is easier to prevent a fire than to extinguish it. Under the auspices of FAO, experts from the Caucasus and Central Asia discuss measures to combat locust pests in a sustainable manner.
20/11/2023
The 13th annual Technical Workshop on Locust management is being held under the framework of the “FAO’s Programme to improve national and regional locust management in Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA)”. The workshop is organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in close cooperation 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).
It gathers delegates from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as FAO experts and observers. It is the third time that Kyrgyzstan hosts such important workshop since the start of the Programme in 2011.
Early warning and early reaction with respect to human health and the environment are crucial for success
The objectives of the event are to strengthen regional cooperation as well as national capacities of the concerned countries, by allowing information and experience sharing on locust management. More specifically, the Workshop will allow discussion of the lessons learned from the 2023 national anti-locust campaign and preparation of the next one, the implementation of the Programme in 2023 and workplan for 2024, the latest developments regarding the Geographic Information System (GIS) entitled “Caucasus and Central Asia Locust Management System” (CCALM), and risk reduction associated with locust control operations. A specific session will be devoted to the promotion and use of biopesticides against locusts. The ultimate goal is to contribute to safeguarding the rural population's food security and livelihoods.
“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
Locusts are dangerous migratory pests that pose a serious threat to agriculture in the Caucasus and Central Asia, with an area of more than 25 million hectares. During outbreaks, locusts attack all crops and plants, putting at least 20 million people at risk in the region.
“Migratory pests do not recognize state borders,” said Kuvatbek Bapaev, International Technical Adviser at the FAO Representative Office in Kyrgyzstan. “Our common objective is to reduce the probability of occurrence of locust outbreaks in CCA. It is therefore important to strengthen our regional cooperation on locusts, disaster risk reduction, and further strengthening of national capacities.”
In addition to the Technical Workshop, the fourth Project Steering Committee (PSC) of the “Project to Improve Locust Management (Phase 2)” in Central Asia will be held on 23 November, with the concerned countries. While the Technical Workshop will allow technical discussions, this Committee focuses 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, to continue strengthening regional cooperation and national capacities next year.