Chance of desert locust outbreak in SA ‘remote’ – expert

As the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) becomes the latest country hit by the desert locust outbreak, agricultural economic expert Wandile Sihlobo says the chances of South Africa being next are remote.

“The spread of these locusts is evidence the local authorities are struggling to control them. This calls for international interventions,” Sihlobo said.

He added that the locusts were spread by heavy winds and therefore would not affect South Africa because of its distance from the affected countries.

South Africa experienced a crisis similar to this in the 1980s and in 2005 and was able to control the damage in both incidences.

“South Africa has the expertise. South Africa has a number of agro-chemical companies that have comfortable stocks of pesticides,” said Sihlobo.

This comes after the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) announced on Monday that swarms had invaded the horn of Africa including Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, South Sudan and the DRC.

Referring to this as “extremely alarming”, the FAO added that it was in these parts of the continent that “widespread breeding is in progress and new swarms are expected to form in the coming weeks”.

In Kenya it added: “Swarms continue to be reported in northern and central areas where they are mostly mature and have laid eggs.

“Hatching is causing an increasing number of hopper bands to form with a new swarm formation expected in coming weeks. Mature swarms are also present along the shores of Lake Turkana. Aerial and ground control operations continue.”

The situation was similar in Ethiopia.

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