By Moneer Al-Omari
SANA'A, June 19 - Agricultural
and pest control officials told media outlets of a desert locust outbreak
in Marib and Al-Jawf after it was confined to Al-Mahrah and Hadramout governorates
and to a lesser degree in Shabwa governorate. However, such allegations
were denied by the general director of the Desert Locusts Control Center,
Abdu Al-Rumaih who noted that his center's field committees recorded only
single cases of some locusts, but not in swarms.
Al-Rumaih added that the field teams
surveyed many areas in Marib and detected single cases of locusts in Al-Falag,
with 66 locusts in each hectare. The same finding applies to the Al-Zunimah
area, an area planted with grains and fodder, with a lower percentage than
recorded in Al-Falag.
Similarly, locals in Marib denied information
by official experts, declaring that locusts exist in a very small percentage.
Marib Press reported many locals in Marib as saying, "Their governorate
is not afflicted by locust," maintaining that the government improvises
such news to receive more support from foreign and international agencies.
Al-Rumaih added that they don't expect
any locust outbreaks in other parts of the republic and the locust swarms
will remain in the Hadramout's Manoukh, Thamoud and Zamakh regions until
September. If rains fall in Marib and Al-Jawf, such rainfall will attract
new swarms to those areas.
"Desert locusts, as clear from their
name, breed in desert areas and upon becoming adult locusts, they invade
other places," Al-Rumaih said replying to a question regarding a potential
locust outbreak in the midlands or western areas. However, he warned that
the locusts might invade other areas if they aren't controlled in their
breeding areas.
He pointed out that the government has
provided them an additional budget to continue their fight against the
locusts. The center now has more than 13 field teams and each team has
two cars equipped with needed requirements, maintaining that they sought
the help of donors and the Food and Agriculture Organization to provide
them with pesticides and planes for spraying and such equipment. He also
revealed that the organization will provide his center with a new environmentally
friendly pesticide.
Regarding the pesticides used now, Al-Rumaih
said that they are using pesticides approved worldwide and at safe levels
in order not to leave any future impact on people, animals and the environment,
noting that the correct dosage of 0.5 liters per hectare and application
will prevent any damage to the environment or people,.
Field reports by Locust Control Center
affiliates assure that there are no locust swarms in Marib or Al-Jawf now
and the teams are continuing to survey the two governorates in anticipation
of any increased locust activity.
Al-Rumaih maintained that the damages
by locusts in Al-Mahrah and Hadramout areas remain at the lowest levels
because locusts exist in desert areas and they haven't reached agricultural
lands and grazing areas. Still, locusts affect some wild grazing areas
meant for livestock and bees.
He went on to say that they have collaborated
with the local authority and governors to inform beekeepers in Al-Mahrah,
Hadramout and Shabwa to remove their hives from affected areas in order
to allow field committees to spray pesticides for the locusts, noting that
bees are of great importance to the national economy and they cannot do
anything until beekeepers remove their hives from those areas.
Yemen witnessed similar locust invasions
in 1986, 1987 and the most serious outbreak in 1993. Other invasions occurred
in 2002 and 2004; however, they were successfully controlled.
Source: Yemen Times
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