Desert locust attacks threaten agricultural projects in southern Libya.

Kofra, June 16, 2025 (LANA) – The head of the Desert Locust Control Committee in the government assigned by the House of Representatives, Suleiman Ibrahim Baraka, warned of a widespread locust outbreak in several areas of southern Libya.

Baraka told the Libyan newspaper Al-Anbaa that the active movements of fully developed swarms toward major agricultural projects portend a real disaster threatening national food security. He explained that the locust transformation cycle from eggs to adults has already been completed, and that swarms have begun moving toward agricultural areas, amid a severe shortage suffered by control teams due to the near-total lack of chemical pesticides necessary to contain the spread of this pest.

He pointed out that active locust swarms had been observed in the Jofra region, and that reports had been received from affected agricultural projects, particularly in Al-Zuwaylah. He noted that field emergency teams had immediately moved to the reported sites to assess the situation, and that technical reports would be submitted to the relevant authorities within hours.

The committee chairman warned of the danger of delaying immediate intervention, stating that "inaction at this stage could lead to the situation completely unraveling, and the country entering a new locust life cycle that would be difficult to control later."

Baraka pointed out that field teams face significant challenges due to a severe shortage of resources, especially control chemicals, as well as a lack of necessary logistical and financial support. He called for the rapid disbursement of the budget allocated to the General Authority for Locust Control, warning that "any further delay in support will lead to an imminent agricultural disaster."

Baraka issued an urgent appeal to the executive and legislative authorities and all relevant parties, calling for serious and swift action to contain this environmental threat. He said: “The danger is no longer a possibility… It has become a reality on the ground, and it won’t take long before it destroys vast areas of Libya’s main food crops.”

It’s worth noting that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) classifies desert locusts as one of the most dangerous agricultural pests in the world. Its reports indicate that just one swarm, covering one square kilometer, can contain up to 80 million locusts, consuming enough crops daily to feed approximately 35,000 people.

=Lana=