Desert locusts in Africa: a disaster?

Area of Science:

• * Agricultural Entomology
• * Pest Management
• * Economic Entomology

Background:

• * Migrating locusts, particularly the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria), pose a significant threat as famine-inducing pests across Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, and India.
• * Preventive control measures are implemented annually, involving substantial logistical efforts and millions of dollars, yet they have not completely eradicated locust plagues, as evidenced by outbreaks in 1987/88 and 1993/94.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To systematically investigate the scale of potential disasters caused by locust swarms.
• * To determine the economic benefits versus the costs of preventive control measures.
• * To identify challenges in developing effective locust control strategies.

Main Methods:

• * Analysis of available data on locust outbreaks and control efforts.
• * Assessment of costs and potential benefits of preventive strategies.
• * Evaluation of logistical and organizational complexities in locust management.

Main Results:

• * The economic feasibility and impact of preventing locust disasters have not been systematically evaluated.
• * Current preventive measures, despite significant investment, are insufficient to completely prevent major locust plagues.
• * Significant logistical and organizational challenges exist in implementing widespread control measures.

Conclusions:

• * A comprehensive economic assessment is needed to justify the significant expenditure on locust prevention.
• * Developing a more effective and economically viable strategy for integrated biological control of grasshoppers and locusts is crucial.
• * Addressing the logistical and organizational hurdles is key to improving the success of preventive locust control.