Home » Agribusiness Crops Desert locust threat remains calm across Africa, says UN-FAO CropsLatest News Desert locust threat remains calm across Africa, says UN-FAO 24 ViewsBy Oscar Nkala.. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UN-FAO) says the desert locust threat will remain very low across North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula this year due to unusually dry conditions which did not favour breeding during the recent winter. According to the French-based organisation Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD), the desert locust is an invasive species that is feared for the large-scale agricultural damage it can cause. Presently, the desert locust threat covers a total land area of almost 30 million km2 on Africa north of the equator, the Near East, the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent. The other species, which is considered a lesser threat to agriculture, more widely distributed in Southern Africa.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 05, 2018 01:18 UTC