The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has increased its Emergency Technical Cooperation project (TCP) to help battle swarms of the desert locust by an additional $200,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tFAO will grant Iran with a total of $500,000 under a scheme dubbed \n\u201curgent action for capacity building to control desert locust \ninfestation in the Islamic Republic of Iran\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tIt signed an emergency TCP project with PPO affiliated with Agriculture\n Ministry on March 19 to enhance the country\u2019s technical capacity for \nearly warning, monitoring and management of desert locusts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\t\u201cIn view of the alarming situation of desert locust in the region and \nthe possible huge damages this pest can cause in agricultural production\n and rural livelihoods, FAO is determined to further extend its \ntechnical assistance to Iran, and accordingly allocated additional funds\n to this project,\u201d said FAO\u2019s representative to Iran, Gerold Bodeker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tExpressing hope for containing desert locusts effectively across the \ncountry, Bodeker said, \u201cThe project mainly focuses on providing around \n320 Iranian experts with the requisite technical knowledge and skills to\n detect, track, report on and rapidly respond to desert locust \ninfestations,\u201d he was quoted as saying by FAO\u2019s website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tHe added that as part of the agreement, FAO will also assist the \ncountry in procuring vital equipment needed to equip two desert locust \ncontrol centers that will allow a quicker and more effective response. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tAccording to Keith Cressman, the executive secretary of FAO Commission \nfor Controlling the Desert Locust in Southwest Asia (SWAC), widespread \nrains over the last couple of months in East Africa and Southwest Asia, \nincluding southern Iran, provided a conducive environment for the desert\n locusts to breed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tIn East Africa, this represents an unprecedented threat to food \nsecurity and livelihoods since it coincides with the beginning of the \nplanting season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tCressman who is also FAO\u2019s Senior Locust Forecasting Officer, went on \nto say that it is crucial to join hands and share knowledge and skills \nto manage this dangerous migratory pest and prevent the further \ndeterioration of the situation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\t\u201cFAO has implemented similar projects in Pakistan, Yemen and East \nAfrican nations, all aimed to support its member states in managing the \nthreat posed by the desert locust,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tBeing the lead UN agency for increasing food and agricultural \ndevelopment, FAO monitors the global locust situation to provide early \nwarning and forecasts. The organization works closely with its member \ncountries to strengthen their national capacities for better management \nof locust, including timely control and preventive interventions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tFAO\u2019s latest report concerning the desert locust released on April 14 \nreveals that widespread rains that fell in late March are expected to \ncause a dramatic increase in locust numbers in East Africa, eastern \nYemen and southern Iran in the coming months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tSpring breeding is underway and the situation in Iran continues to be serious and worrisome, the report reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tAn increasing number of hopper bands continue to form along the \nsouthern coast with a few swarms forming near Jask County in Hormozgan \nProvince.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tMohammad Reza Dargahi, the head of Iran\u2019s Plan and Budget Organization \naffiliated with the Agriculture Ministry, said on Saturday that the \nfight against the desert locust in the country has increased to cover a \ntotal of 101,173 hectares across six southern Iranian provinces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\t\u201cThe pest has been confronted chemically using different methods from \nland and air. The provinces of Sistan-Baluchestan, Hormozgan, Bushehr, \nFars, Khuzestan and southern Kerman have been so far infected,\u201d Mehr \nNews Agency quoted him as saying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tSwarms of the voracious pest were first spotted in Iran\u2019s southern provinces on Feb. 19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tThe official told Fars News Agency earlier this month that some 200 \nbillion rials ($1.22 million) have been spent to battle the pest, adding\n that PPO has requested an additional 650 billion rials ($3.96 million) \nfrom the Plan and Budget Organization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tThis amount, he added, will be enough to continue the fight until August. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\t\u201cSome 200 billion rials ($1.22 million) have been spent to battle the \npest up until now. We have requested an additional 650 billion rials \n($3.96 million) from the Plan and Budget Organization. This amount will \nbe enough to continue the fight until August,\u201d Dargahi was quoted as \nsaying by Fars News Agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tThe official added that this year round, the battle is three times as intense as last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tThe first generation of desert locusts attacked Iran about a year ago. \nFAO alerted Iran of probable locust attacks on Jan. 21, IRNA reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\tThe Plant Protection Organization of Iran battled the pest across \n750,000 hectares in the previous round of attack that cost PPO more than\n $2.74 million. The figure is expected to exceed 1 million hectares this\n year, hence, the need for more budget.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has increased its Emergency Technical Cooperation project (TCP) to help battle swarms of the desert locust by an additional $200,000.\u00a0 FAO will grant Iran with a total of $500,000 under a scheme dubbed \u201curgent action for capacity building to control desert locust infestation in the Islamic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2,8],"tags":[1108,1110,28,1109,639],"yoast_head":"\n