Why is Desert Locust control so difficult?
The current approach to Desert Locust management is constrained by several factors. • Inherent geographical and biological difficulties Locusts breed and survive within desert areas extending from West Africa to South-West Asia. During quite periods (recessions), the size of this area is about 16 million square km; during plagues, locusts invade neighboring countries, extending this area to 29 million square km. The vast majority of these areas are remote with very little developed infrastructure. This is further compounded by the ability of the Desert Locust to rapidly increase in numbers and migrate several thousand kilometers in a short amount of time. • Weak national capacities Locusts were not seen as a high priority between 1962 and 1985 because environmental conditions in breeding areas were usually not very favourable for the development of major upsurges. During this period, economic constraints and other pressing problems resulted in a deterioration of national locust control
