Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation

Desert Locust Update-

FSC: 30 November 2020

Abdi Hussein / Alphonse Owuor Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation FGS / FAOSO REGIONAL OUTLOOK AND BREEDING

• The Desert Locust situation in the region remains alarming with both hoppers and adults being reported in Sudan, Saudi Arabia, , Eritrea, , Kenya and Somalia. • We are still in the winter breeding season (Oct – Dec) and conducive condition still exist in many places to allow the population to continue multiplying. • Cyclone Gati will increase the chance for multiplication the areas that it affected. • Control efforts remain a priority in all countries. HORN OF AFRICA SITUATION

• The situation in Somalia remains dangerous with several factor influencing the projections; • Populations from Ethiopia, though control operations are ongoing some swarms have moved to the south, there is also massive breeding the Ogaden region. • Difficult to access areas with high DL population in Somalia. • Possible effect of Cyclone Gati ACCESS FOR CONTROL TEAMS

• : the control teams (ground and aerial) have encountered some resistance from the communities while trying to control the large hopper bands (see map). The MoEACC has increased its awareness campaigns and some improvement has been realized. • Galmudug: Ceel bur as well as Xarardhere have high number of hopper bands but are not reality accessible to the MoAPF survey and control teams. EFFECT OF CYCLONE GATI

• Though it is too early to determine the full impact the cyclone will have on the DL it is a concern and the DL teams have scaled up their survey operation in areas where high levels of precipitation was realized. • The cyclone has the potential of moving any remaining swarms further south into Puntland, Galmudug and Ogaden further increasing the number of Desert Locust in the area • Breeding areas in and Puntland along the have remained free of breeding population due to the dry conditions, the cyclone may encourage breeding to start in some of these areas. CURRENT GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE IN SOMALIA

• Somaliland: No reports from the interior and costal region but swarms crossing back and forth along the Ethiopia border have now reduced either due to control operations on both sides of the border as well as winds blowing them further to the southeast.

• Puntland: Mainly hopper bands have been present in the month of November these are currently 4 – 5 instar and are expected to turn into adult and migrate south by mid December. The populations are very dense in a number of areas and pasture loss is to be expected. New swarms were detected after the cyclone, these were north of Garowe and include both mature (yellow) as well as immature (pink) swarms the origins are thought to be from Ethiopia as well as parts of northern Puntland but it is not easy to determine this currently. • Galmudug: Mainly hopper bands are present in Galmudug, the populations are very high and almost similar to what is being seen in Puntland south of Garowe. • Hirshabele, Southwest and Jubaland: Some mature swarms managed to find their was into the south from Galmudug (and possibly Ethiopia). In Hirshabelle and Southwest state hopper have been observed. For Jubaland the hatching if any will occur slightly later. IMPACT ON CROPS AND PASTURE

• Desert Locust hatching and band formation are widespread in central Somalia and swarms have been reported in Hiraan, Bay, Bakool, Middle and Lower Shabelles, Lower Jubba and Gedo. • This year the Locusts has appeared in the south at the early stage of crop development and losses from at the end of Deyr season, is expected to be higher than last year. • Immature swarms that will migrate to the South in the mid-December will cause additional losses to any crops that will still be at a susceptible stage. • In Puntland and Galmudug the desert locust has been present for a longer period this year as well as in larger number spreading over a wider areas, losses to pasture is expected to be higher compare to last year also taking in to account that this is occurring under dryer condition when the pasture can not quickly compensate for damage caused by the Locust UPDATE ON CONTROL INTERVENTIONS

• 110,000 ha have been treated using both aerial as well as ground control in Puntland, Galmudug as well as Somaliland. • Ground control has recently commenced in the south targeting vulnerable farming communities who are being support with PPE, sprayers as well as chemicals with which to fight the DL invading their crops. The areas supported to date include 30 districts in Jubaland, Hirshabelle and South West

Control area Jan - Nov 2020 (Ha.) – Puntland, Somaliland & Galmudug 120000

100000

50105 80000

34131 60000 23717

23512 40000 17455 59684 9354 48780 51340 20000 28408 31508 0 21132 11457 0 10530 12120 FEB MAR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV

Ground ha Aerial ha THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION