FAO and Japan continue fighting locust in Central Asia

AKIPRESS.COM - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Government of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Tajikistan will continue to collaborate in the second phase of a regional project to enhance locust management in Tajikistan, FAO said. This five-year regional effort with a budget of USD 7.23 million will cover all Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as Afghanistan to fight against locust.
The overall aim is to strengthen food security and rural livelihoods by preventing and limiting locust threats and damages to crops and rangelands with respect to human health and the environment. As a result, the project will help reduce poverty and promote economic opportunities in the whole region through agricultural development and, ultimately, economic growth.
Rural populations living in locust-affected areas will benefit from the activities as better prevention of outbreaks and upsurges and, consequently, reduced damage to crops and rangelands, ensures better food security for them. The project will also help national locust management authorities, whose institutional, technical, and human capacities will be strengthened at both national and regional levels. Traditional locust habitats and breeding areas often span national borders, meaning that locusts frequently cross countries' political boundaries. In this regard, the project will strengthen regional cooperation among countries, which is vital for the successful management of transboundary plant pests such as locusts. Continuous and timely exchange of information between neighboring countries and partners, as well as environmentally friendly controls, are important in this regard.