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55

Favourable reproduction

conditions

Massive swarm

migration

July - September 2003

Exceptional rains favour locus

reproduction. Lack of funding for

preventive intervention in the

Sahel.

March - July 2004

Massive reproduction in the

Maghreb, limited reproduction in

the Red Sea region. Invasion into

the Sahel. Gregarious populations

eradicated on the coast of the Red

Sea.

August - November 2004

Monsoon creates favourable

conditions for reproduction in

West Africa. Massive and early

migration of swarms born in the

Sahel towards the Maghreb and

eastward towards Egypt, Lebanon

and Cyprus.

October 2003 - February 2004

Situation aggravated and start

massive migration of destructive

swarms.

Figure 23: A shift in desert locust (

Schistocerca gregaria

) host range due to climate change might have catastrophic impacts on food and

livestock production.

According to UNICEF (2005) it is estimated that two-thirds of the 2004 loss in food production and pasture in

Niger is rooted in the impact of drought at national level, while desert locusts, which infested the country afterwards, caused one-third

of the overall damages. In certain areas, swarms of desert locusts consumed nearly 100% of the crops. The desert locust, like other

locusts, can change its behaviour and physiology from solitary individuals to gregarious stages that form swarms. Solitary desert lo-

custs occur at low density in the recession area, which covers North Africa, the Sahel, the Red Sea countries and parts of Afghanistan,

India, Iran and Pakistan. The outbreak area stretches from Mauritania to India and from southern Europe to Cameroon and Tanzania.

Outbreaks and plagues originate in the recession areas when there are several cycles of good breeding conditions. Although the effects

of climate change on this system are difficult to judge, climate scenarios with more winter rain in the Sahel may provide better breeding

conditions. Large amounts of chemicals are being used to stem this plague, at considerable risk to the environment and public health.

A hazard is that locusts depend on the wind and rain to travel. (Source: CIRAD/UNEP/GRID-Arendal 2005).

creates favourable

iti

s f r reproduction in

t frica. assive and early

i r tion of s ar s born in

the Sahel towards the Maghreb

and eastward towards Egypt,

Lebanon and Cyprus.

i r r uction in the

r , li it d reproduction in

t

a region. Invasion into

t

el. regarious popula-

tions eradicated on the coast of

the Red Sea.

it ti

r v ted and start

i i r tion of destructive

r .

ti

l r i f

r locust

r r

ti

.

f f nding for

r

tiv intervention in the Sahel.