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Yemen faces worst locust outbreak in 14 years, FAO warns
Jun 6, 2007, 16:24 GMT
Rome - Yemen may have to deal with its worst Desert Locust outbreak since 1993 this summer due to heavy spring rains that have favoured breeding, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned Wednesday.
In a statement, FAO called for an intensive survey and aerial control campaign using helicopters to avoid huge locust infestations and serious damage to food crops.
'Widespread breeding is in progress within a large and remote area of an estimated 31,000 square kilometres in the interior of Yemen, where locust swarms are likely to form,' FAO expert Keith Cressman said after returning from an assessment mission to the country.
FAO said that if locust infestations are not controlled in time, agricultural crops in Wadi Hadhramaut and other areas including Sana'a highlands will be at risk.
Adult locusts can consume roughly their own weight in fresh food per day, meaning a very small part of an average swarm eats the same amount of food in one day as about 2,500 people, FAO said.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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