Unusually high levels of desert locust infestations have been reported during the current breeding season, raising alarms across affected regions, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned on Tuesday.
“Desert locusts remain among the most devastating migratory pests on the planet,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, emphasising the threat they pose to food security and livelihoods.
A single swarm of locusts can cover anywhere from one to several hundred square kilometres and may contain up to 80 million adult locusts. In just 1 km², they can eat as much food in a day as 35,000 people.
Feeding on crops and pastureland, they pose a threat to crops grown for both people and livestock, risking starvation in communities that depend on agriculture for survival.
Clement weather for pests
According to the FAO, favourable weather conditions have created suitable breeding grounds for the flying pests. Winds and rainfall patterns have facilitated the movement of desert locusts from the Sahel to North Africa.
The FAO recommends conducting intensive ground surveys across key areas where locust breeding is likely to occur.
The area spanning from south of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, through the Sahara in Algeria, and extending to southern Tunisia and western Libya is particularly at risk.
“Surveys and control operations are particularly urgent in locations where winter and early spring rains have created suitable breeding conditions,” said Cyril Piou, the FAO’s Locust Monitoring and Forecasting Officer.
Early detection and rapid response are critical to preventing a wider crisis, the UN food agency underscores
https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162731
