Traghen— Libyan authorities continue multifaceted operation to combat and control desert locust swarms that have attacked the southern region of the country and caused huge damage to the already weak agricultural sector in the area.
The General Department of Security Operations (GDSO) said Saturday that locust-combating efforts in the south were in full swing as teams have been tasked with follow-up, monitoring and control operations in the areas that witness the spread of locust swarms including Tamsa, Umm Al-Araneb, Maghwa and Ubari, according to its Facebook platform.
On 6 March, an emergency meeting was held in the city of Traghen chaired by the head of the Southern Reorganization Committee (SRC), Major General Jamal Al-Amami, to set up a plan to face the growing crisis caused by locust swarms. The meeting included all the coordinators of the agricultural sector at the level of the entire southern region.
The plan includes at the first phase forming an emergency unit for combating locusts to ensure effective communication and coordination between the concerned parties. While the second phase concentrates on eliminating the new stages of locust’s life circle.
However, the success of the plan, according to the SRC, depends on the availability of appropriate environmental conditions for locust swarms’ reproduction.
In October 2024, the Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that 70% of crops damaged in the Libyan southern region. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) identifies desert locusts as one of the most destructive migratory pests in the world. A one-square-kilometer swarm can contain up to 80 million locusts, consuming as much food in a day as 35,000 people, as quoted by Libya Review.
Experts maintain that heavy rains and floods create ideal breeding conditions and make problem hard to contain. Libya Review said Hussein Al-Breiki, spokesperson for the National Locust Control Committee, issued a warning that the locusts have entered the breeding phase, which could lead to a rapid population explosion.
The authorities, meanwhile, called on farmers and local residents to cooperate with the field teams and report any new locust gatherings to ensure rapid intervention and limit their spread.
On this front, Libya needs international help to combat the spread of locusts to the northern and the eastern parts of the country. Including technical help, pesticides, spraying equipment and vehicles.
In addition to aircraft and helicopters as well as innovations, such as eLocust3 digital tools, satellite imagery, artificial intelligence and track models. These are rather important to report locusts in real time and provide maps of infestations, breeding areas and migration routes.
