Southern Libya is facing a severe agricultural crisis due to a surge in desert locust swarms, posing a significant threat to crops and pastures, experts warn.
The Libyan Center for Desert Research and Development of Desert Communities has raised alarm over the worsening situation, citing major challenges in controlling the infestation. Officials say efforts are hampered by a lack of essential equipment, with farmers relying on limited resources such as vehicles and small spray tanks—insufficient to tackle the vast swarms.
Speaking to local media, Hussein Al-Breiki, spokesperson for the National Locust Control Committee, warned that the crisis is deepening as the locusts enter their mating and egg-laying phase. "Without urgent intervention, the region could face an environmental catastrophe," he said.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) classifies the desert locust as one of the most destructive agricultural pests, capable of reproducing rapidly under varying climate conditions. A single swarm of 80 million locusts can cover one square kilometer and devour the equivalent of food consumed by 35,000 people in a single day, according to the same source.
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