Context:
Scientists from the University of Cambridge, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the UK’s Met Office developed a forecasting tool to predict locust swarm movements and behaviours.
More on the News
- Locusts are one of the most dangerous migratory pests, threatening millions of smallholder farmers and global food security.
- The new tool, with an accuracy of 83%, can be crucial in predicting breeding areas that may be missed during ground monitoring.
- The tool combines environmental data, weather models, and remote sensing to anticipate swarm movements and identify potential breeding sites.
- It aims to help governments, farmers, and agencies prepare for future locust upsurges.
- The tool can predict locust movements across multiple countries, critical for managing locust invasions in affected regions.
- Integrating satellite data to assess vegetation availability and predict how long swarms will feed at each location.
- The model was tested across five sub-Saharan countries (Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, and Djibouti), heavily impacted during the 2019 upsurge, and accurately predicted swarm movements
Key Features of the Predictive Tool
- Breeding Site Identification: Predict suitable locust breeding areas.
- Lifecycle Monitoring: Tracks stages from egg to adult.
- Swarm Movement Prediction: Uses weather models to forecast migration paths.
- Vegetation Analysis: Estimates swarm feeding duration based on food availability.
- Swarm Trajectory Analysis: Determines likely origins and landing sites of swarms.
India’s Measures to Combat Locusts
- New Equipment: Procured 70 new locust control tools from the UK and increased ground control teams to 104.
- Drone Usage: Drones were used for locust control for the first time globally, marking a significant step in locust management.
- Collaborative efforts: It helped to reduce vegetation damage in previously affected regions.