Outbreak of Moroccan locusts will destroy 25% of annual wheat production in Afghanistan: FAO

The ‘large-scale’ outbreak of the Moroccan locust across eight provinces in Afghanistan’s wheat basket is likely to destroy 700,000-1.2 million tonnes of wheat or a quarter of the total annual harvest, alerted the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United States May 10, 2023 

This translates to $280 million-$480 million in economic losses — as of today’s prices in the country,  stated FAO. 

Under such circumstances, if the Moroccan locust population is left untreated, its population can increase a 100 times in the next year, the FAO said. This will create even bigger problems for agriculture and food security for Afghanistan and that of its neighbours Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

Locusts at different development stages have been sighted at Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Kunduz, Samangan, Sar-e-Pul and Takhar. The Moroccan locusts have been sighted at Herat and Ghor provinces too.

Moroccan locusts are the most economically damaging plant pests anywhere in the world and are likely to further worsen the food insecurity crisis in Afghanistan this year and in 2024.

In Afghanistan, more than 6.1 million people are on the brink of famine-like conditions which puts the country in Phase 4 (emergency) of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, according to the preliminary projections for November 2022-March 2023.

It is among the countries with the highest prevalence of insufficient food consumption. Hunger is primarily driven by the economic crisis that has gripped Afghanistan since August 2021, compounded by decades of conflict and climate shocks, according to 2023 Global report on food crisis 

The last two big outbreaks, 20 and 40 years ago, cost Afghanistan an estimated eight and 25 per cent of its total annual wheat production, according to Richard Trenchard, the FAO representative in Afghanistan.

“Harvest forecasts this year are the best we have seen for the last three years — but this outbreak threatens to destroy all these recent gains and dramatically worsen the food insecurity situation later this year and into next year,” he added.

Besides the wheat crop, the Moroccan locust eats more than 150 species of plants, including tree crops, pastures and 50 food crops, all of which grow in Afghanistan. 

So this is an enormous threat to farmers, communities and the entire country, warned Trenchard.

Drought, poor locust control systems led to the outbreak 

The north and northeast regions of Afghanistan are prone to Moroccan locust outbreaks, but the scale and intensity of the infestations vary from year to year.

There were locust outbreaks in northern Afghanistan in August 2022 and a plague of locusts in 2008. 

Locust populations usually go up when temperatures are above average and rainfall below normal. The geographical spread of the Moroccan locust is normal when spring rainfall (from March to May) is about 100 millimetres. 

But spring rainfall below 100 mm for the second or third consecutive year usually leads to an increase in the population of Moroccon locusts.

Below-average precipitation from October 1, 2022 to April 15, 2023 was observed throughout the country, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET).

So, this year has seen “perfect” conditions for a locust outbreak: Drought, overgrazing, limited locust control and just the right amount of rainfall in March and April for locusts to thrive. Also, Afghanistan has entered into the third consecutive year of drought, creating the ideal environment for locusts to hatch and swarm.

Hatching started earlier than usual

In the provinces across north and northeast regions of Afghanistan, the Moroccan locust lay eggs between May and June, depending on environmental conditions, in hilly and rangeland areas. 

The young locusts hatch from the egg-pods the following year in late March and start feeding on surrounding grasses. 

But this year the hatching started earlier than usual. In the affected provinces, Kunduz, Balkh, Samangan, Sar-i-pul, Takhar, Baghlan and Badakhshan, the hatching started from mid-March. 

Shortage of chemicals for control

Afghanistan used to have a very strong locust control system in place. But this has been destroyed in the last two years, according to Trenchard. 

Chemical locust control methods are far more effective than mechanical control. But there has been a shortage of chemical supplies across the country. 

As a result of this, the traditional ‘mechanical control’ methods were used to control the outbreak. These include collecting hoppers with cloth sheets, driving hopper bands into trapping ditches with subsequent collection and killing the hoppers

“We’ve used our cash-for-work methodology to put money into the pockets of farmers most at risk, while accelerating mechanical control in communities across the north and northeast regions,” said Trenchard.

The timely implementation of mechanical control of Moroccan locusts has been proposed as a means to protect crops and as a strategy to preserve scarce resources. 

So, the mechanical control approaches used in the current outbreak may help in reducing the overall impact of the swarms, said FAO.

But the mechanical control works best when the locusts are not in an outbreak phase, studies showed.

When the current situation qualifies as an “outbreak” a combination of chemical and mechanical methods is needed, experts noted. 

So, effective ways to control the outbreaks is urgent funding to support both mechanical and chemical control measures, alongside on-the ground surveys to monitor and map locust hatching sites, stated the FAO.

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