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The Rhodesia Herald,

June 17, 1968

RIYADH. – Swarms of red, migratory desert locusts have been seen approaching South Yemen from Saudi Arabia, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture here, Mr Anwar Khalid, announced yesterday.

He said the swarms were also threatening North Yemen, East Africa, the Persian Gulf, the Indian continent, and the whole of the Middle East.

Immature locusts had already appeared at Rass Elaarah, 100 miles west of Aden, and Assalah, 50 miles east of Aden, he said.

The Anti-Locust Research Centre in London had cabled the information to his Ministry, he said.

Mr Khalid said in an interview that South Yemen was awaiting four Indian experts promised by United Nations, as well as six Land Rovers and insecticides to fight the scourge.

Upper Egypt, hit early in June by migratory locusts, has built defence lines near Asswan. Anti-locust teams are also working along the Red Sea coast along Egypt’s eastern desert.

With the help of UN Food and Agricultural Organisations, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Sudan are watching for swarms.

LESSONS FOR TODAY 

• Swarms of locusts have been known to cause devastation on crops and cause major agricultural damage across the world, which has led to famine and starvation. As such, the problem cannot be underestimated.
• The problem of locusts is growing and will continue to grow. This calls for better preparations and mitigatory measures.
• There is need for local research institutions to continue looking for solutions to control the problem while also leveraging on research from other institutions across the world.
• There is need for international co-operation and sharing of information on locust outbreaks so that regions can be better prepared ahead of outbreaks.