Promoting innovative technologies to enhance Locust control strategies

FAO and National Desert Locust Control Center in Morocco collaborate to deploy Locust Pesticides Management System (L-PMS) with a new training course for Ethiopian plant protection personnel. The course, which runs from 10-15 July 2023, is part of the larger project (GCP-INT-1032-USA) funded by USAID/BHA to reduce Desert Locust risks in the Central Region and the Horn of Africa. The project will be implemented in eight countries over the next four years, with the objective of safeguarding the food security and livelihoods of pastoral and rural populations. The upcoming training course will focus on enhancing Desert Locust management, including early warning and reaction, response capacities, and minimizing risks to humans and the environment. The course will also cover the latest version of the Locust Pesticides Management System (LPMS), developed by FAO for Desert Locust-affected countries. LPMS enables countries to record and monitor their stocks of registered locust pesticides, track the validity and movement of these stocks within the country, and assist FAO in managing pesticide distribution to prevent the accumulation of obsolete stocks. The next training course for plant protection department staff from Kenya is scheduled for September 2023 in Morocco.