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Pakistan-India Cooperation Prevented Massive Locust Scourge, UN Says

Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD - The United Nations says Pakistan's timely national response
   and cooperation with neighboring countries, including arch-rival India,
   have averted what was predicted to be a devastating invasion of desert
   locusts.
   The Pakistani government declared a national emergency in late January
   following local and international forecasts the country would face its
   worst crop-eating locust infestation threat in nearly three decades.
   The looming crisis had endangered food security for millions of people
   across the region, prompting the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization
   (FAO) to boost technical support for Pakistan and coordinate
   cooperation among regional countries to combat what is considered the
   most destructive migratory pest in the world.
   "Indeed, the desert locust upsurge has been stopped in the Southwest
   Asia because of very intensive efforts by both Pakistan and India
   during control operations that were carried out this summer in breeding
   areas along both sides of the border," FAO forecaster Keith Cressman
   told VOA.
   Cressman noted the locust threat has diminished due to "excellent"
   collaboration and cooperation between his agency, Pakistani and Indian
   governments and global partners.
   "As a result, the desert locust situation is calm and has returned to
   normal in the region. No significant developments are expected for the
   remainder of this year and into at least early next year," the FAO
   forecaster said.
   Pakistan suffered its worst locust attack in nearly three decades in
   2019, for which the country was ill-prepared at the time. The
   infestation significantly undermined production targets for wheat and
   cotton cash crops, among others, affecting many farmers across the
   country.
   Preliminary official estimates of monetary losses due to desert locusts
   over the two coming agricultural seasons in 2020 and 2021 ranged from
   $3.4 billion to nearly $10 billion in the worst-case scenario.

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