Fields in Tajikistan have been invaded by the Moroccan locust - one of the most harmful subspecies of this family.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the locust infestation has been recorded on 44,000 hectares of land, with 37,000 hectares treated with chemicals in 35 districts.
As per the State Unitary Enterprise "Locust Control Expedition," a total of over 124,000 hectares of land will be treated with necessary means to combat the insect invasion.
"For this purpose, around 1,000 workers have been called upon, provided with 34 spray tractors, 645 manual sprayers, and 11 vehicles," the department reported.
Fields in districts such as Panj, Farkhor, Vakhsh, Kushoniyon, Khojand, Jaloliddin Balkhi, Vakhsh, Shakhrinav, and Dangara have been more severely affected by the locust invasion. The spread of locusts is also observed in some districts of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and Sughd Region.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the invasion of the Moroccan locust is not only seen in Tajikistan but also in Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture of Tajikistan has reassured farmers that the current situation does not cause particular concern, as measures to combat the locust are being implemented in a timely manner.
Experts, however, suggest that local eradication of the locust will not yield a positive effect, hence the need for collaborative efforts with neighboring countries.
In early April 2024, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan officially announced joint efforts to combat the locust invasion on the territories of the two states. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan.
The statement highlighted that specialists from both countries monitored the spread, development, and control measures of the harmful locust on the border areas of Rudaki, Shakhrinav, Nurobod Hisor of Tajikistan, and in the Uzun, Jarkurgan, Kumkurgan, Shurchin, and Termez districts of Uzbekistan for 3 days.
Following the monitoring activities, the parties signed a cooperation agreement and conducted monitoring activities in desert areas. Now, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan will exchange data on phytosanitary conditions in border areas and jointly carry out chemical treatment against harmful insects.
