LOCUST ATTACK in India, India’s Locust Nightmare Spreads in several Indian states, India's effort to repel locust invasion

Massive swarms of desert locusts known to be the most dangerous of the migratory pests in the world are destroying crops across western and central India, spearing into Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab now, after Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana, as the government said it has stepped up its response to the country's worst locust attack in nearly three decades.

India is experiencing the worst locust invasion the country has seen for 25 years. Skies above large parts of north India have darkened during the day due to millions of locusts. Rajasthan is the worst affected state, but Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Punjab have also experienced damaging swarms.

A change in wind direction could save the city, but Dr. K L Gurjar, deputy director of the Locust Warning Organisation(LWO) said, “This time the attack is by very young locusts who fly for longer distances, at faster speeds, unlike adults in the past who were sluggish and not so fast”, and warned residents to be prepared to “make a lot of loud noise so that instead of settling, they keep flying and fly past the city. And don’t panic”. Tractors have been spraying pesticides and fire engines have been used to target locusts in trees. Honking horns and sounding police car sirens other methods deployed to try to ward the locusts off. In the fields, farmers have been playing loud music and banging anything they can find to stop the insects ravaging their crops. About 50,000 hectares have been affected by the insects so far.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s locust watch website said the movement of the locusts has been affected by the strong westerly winds from Cyclone Amphan, which hit the coast of India earlier this month. Scientists say that this outbreak, similar to recent outbreaks in East Africa, is driven by the same factors: unusually warm weather and more rain. According to the UN body Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the locust's attack poses a threat to the food security of the affected countries as an adult locust can eat a quantity equal to its weight of about 2 grams every single day. A single square kilometer of the swarm can contain somewhere between 4 to 8 crore adult locusts. Every single day, if they cover 130-150 km, they can eat the food consumed by as many as 35,000 people, it said.

The locusts were flying in from Iran and Pakistan, blanketing half a dozen states in western and central India. Because most of the crops were recently harvested, the hungry swarms have buzzed into urban areas, eager to destroy bushes and trees, carpeting whatever surface they land on.

Last year, Pakistan suffered its worst attack of locusts since 1993, for which the country was largely unprepared. The locusts arrived in Pakistan from Iran in June 2019, devouring cotton, wheat, and maize, among other crops. The invasion was initially expected to subside by mid-November. But it has persisted due to favorable weather conditions for continued locust breeding, linked to global warming.

LOCUST SWARM:

First, understand what locust swarms are and how they damage crops. Locusts are insects that travel in large swarms that can travel up to 150 kilometers in a day depending on the wind speed. Locusts belong to the family of grasshoppers and are usually harmless but certain environmental conditions like a monsoon and heavy cyclones make them reproduce faster. Locust swarms devastate(1) crops and cause major agricultural damage, which can lead to famine and starvation.

ATTACKS ARE NOT NEW:

Although it may seem like the year 2020 is filled with unprecedented catastrophes, locust attacks are not new. The only reason many on the internet seem to be surprised by the recent locust swarms is that they have come to India in this proportion after 27 years.

Locust attacks have been mentioned in almost all ancient texts, right from wall paintings on ancient Egyptians pyramids to the Bible and Koran.

The problem that troubled pharaohs, King Ashoka and King Solomon is still a menace in today's age. 

WHAT'S NEW :

Most of the attacks by locust swarms in India since 1993 have been localized to Rajasthan. But this time, favorable weather conditions have facilitated locusts' travel from Rajasthan to Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and even Maharashtra.

India has a specialized Locust Warning Organisation(LWO), headquartered in Jodhpur. The center is responsible for timely monitoring and planning for locust eradication and providing assistance to state governments in controlling invasions.

WORST YET TO COME:

The locust swarms are currently plaguing Indians, bred and matured in Iran and Pakistan's Balochistan. But larger swarms that bred in Horn of Africa and parts of the Arabian Peninsula, due to abnormal weather activities caused by two cyclones in 2018, are also likely to move towards India soon.

The United Nations food and agriculture organization (FAO) has warned India of an impending locust invasion. As per the FAO, The desert locust invasion is expected to move from East Africa to India and Pakistan next month and could be accompanied by other swarms.

WHY WE SHOULD CARE:

Locust swarms eat food, food that farmers are growing for humans. If locust attacks of this proportion continue unabated, the insects will wipe out lakhs of tones of food grains and vegetables meant for human consumption.

Apart from a possible lack of food grains and vegetables, locust attacks on farms will also plunge India into fresh economic trouble.

Last week, the World Bank approved a record $500 million in grants and low-interest loans to help countries in Africa and the Middle East fight swarms of desert locusts that are eating their way across vast swaths of crops and rangelands. Four of the hardest-hit countries - Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda - will receive $160 million immediately.

The World Bank estimates the Horn of Africa region could suffer up to $8.5 billion in damage to crop and livestock production by year-end without broad measures to reduce locust populations and prevent their spread. Even with the measures, losses could be as high as $2.5 billion.

The Indian government wants to tackle this regionally and has offered to set aside some of its differences with Pakistan to provide the neighboring country with pesticide(2) to spray on its side of the border. India has made the same offer to Iran, which responded positively, Indian officials said. The pest, which threatens vegetable and pulse crops, has not impacted rabi (winter) produce in India but the government efforts are on to eliminate the insects before the monsoon in order to save Kharif crops.

                                                                                          Shailendra

   (1) devastate-नाश करना    (2) pesticide-कीटनाशक