Warning! India in danger of locusts attacks for next four weeks: FAO

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has issued a warning that new swarms of locusts could enter the country in the next four weeks. FAO said that the second generation spring swarms are now present in North West Kenya, Eastern Ethiopia and parts of Somalia. It also said that the breeding ground for these locusts were located in Western and Northern Ethiopia and in central and Northern Somalia. Majority of the swarms were located North West Kenya from where is speculated they will migrate northwards into Southern Sudan.

The report also said that due to recent rains in the area of Red Sea locusts breeding will also appear on coastal Yemen and Saudi Arabia and it may also extend to interior parts of Yemen.

The report states that before monsoon several swarms reached the Indo-Pakistan border and some have gone to east as far as Nepal. These swarms are expected to migrate back to Rajasthan as soon as the monsoon arrives. They will likely be joined by new swarms of locusts coming from Iran and Pakistan. This may happen by the middle of July.

Breeding has also started at the Indo-Pakistan border with hatching and band formation expected to happen around July and the first generation of locusts to be formed by middle of August.

Apart from India the other nations told to be vigilant are Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somalia and Pakistan. FAO has also called West African nations to take measures and preparatory steps.