Current trends in African Migratory Locust plague prevention

From the dawn of civilisation, locusts have been one of the great agricultural plagues, stripping vast areas bare of vegetation as they relentlessly advance. Experience shows that the most effective control measure is to attack the pest at its breeding grounds in the Niger Delta area as soon as it shows signs of swarming. Unfortunately, the prolonged sahelian drought – which for some years has put a natural brake on breeding – has encouraged complacency about the risks of another resurgence when this comes to an end.