Dr Roger Price, research team manager of plant health protection at the Agricultural Research Council, ARC, says the current threat to Southern Africa from these locust invasions is very low, but South Africa is prepared to manage and control such an outbreak if it should occur. Good rains in Somalia and the north-eastern part of Ethiopia has contributed to massive swarm outbreak, driving an explosion of locusts destroying crops and threatening food security across the region.

OFM News’ Christal-Lize Muller spoke to Price…

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He says the Desert Locust is one of the most important agricultural pests in the world causing huge damage when feeding on a wide range of leafy plants like citrus and vegetables.  Southern Africa has its own sub-species of the Desert Locust, known as the Southern African Desert Locust which can be found as solitary adults across the semi-arid areas of South Africa, Namibia, and southern Botswana. Although this subspecies can breed with the North African Desert Locus in a laboratory, the offspring are infertile. 

That was Dr Roger Price, research team manager of plant health protection at the Agricultural Research Council, ARC.

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