Meteorological Information for Locust Control

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Background

The Desert Locust plague in 2004 drew the attention of the world to the threat they pose to the food security of the affected countries, especially in the developing world. All the different phases in the life cycle of a locust require ideal meteorological conditions for it to evolve from the solitary phase to the gregarious phase and cause the widespread damage.

To ensure more effective monitoring and control of the desert locusts and the important role for the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in this task, WMO organized an Expert Meeting on Meteorological Information for Locust Control in Geneva, Switzerland from 18-20 October 2004 to discuss the response from NMHSs to the current Desert Locust infestation. Representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization, AGRHYMET, Italy, and India attended the meeting.

One major recommendation from the meeting was that NMHSs need to strengthen their collaboration with the National Locust Control Centres (LCCs) and provide near real-time daily rainfall and temperature observations and forecasts at a centralized location to provide easy access for the LCCs, regional organizations and international agencies such as FAO. With this recommendation in mind, the capability of countries to upload daily weather data from April to October 2005 was developed on this web page. The data will be processed into a password protected web page for the National LCCs, FAO, and other regional and national institutions to access and use these data in their locust control applications.

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Locust Related Web Sites

WMO/FAO Regional Workshop for the Anglophone Countries on Meteorological Information for Locust Monitoring and Control held in Muscat, Oman from 8-12 April 2006.

WMO/FAO Regional Workshop for the Francophone Countries on Meteorological Information for Locust Monitoring and Control held in Niamey, Niger from 19-22 April 2005.

WMO Expert Meeting on Meteorological Information for Locust Control held in Geneva, Switzerland from 18-20 October 2004.

FAO Desert Locust Information Service This FAO website contains the latest information on the desert locust in Africa and Southwest Asia, including the Desert Locust Bulletin in English, French, and Arabic. This site also has an extensive list of links on locust biology, centres, equipment, national weather services and weather information, and locust tools.

IBIMET Desert Locust Meteorological Monitoring The Italian Institute of Biometeorology (IBIMET) in collaboration with FAO/EMPRES have developed a pilot meteorological information service for Mauritania and Senegal to support Desert Locust control operations.

Daily Rainfall and 5-Day Accumulation Estimates for Mauritania and Senegal from Meteosat Second Generation - MSG (3x3 Km).

Seven Day Rainfall Forecasts Mauritania and Senegal with daily update based on GFS statistical downscaling (8x8 Km).

Monthly Rainfall and Temperature Predictions

Three-Month Predictions

Mauritanian Desert Locust Centre (Centre de Lutte Antiacridienne, CLAA) A Mauritanian government agency dedicated to the control of the desert locust. It operates under the direction of the Agriculture Department of the Ministry for Rural Development and the Environment.

Pakistan Locust Division The Department of Plant Protection of the Government of Pakistan provides information on locusts.

Algerian National Institute of Plant Protection (French only)

Moroccan Desert Locust Web site (French only)

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Relevant CAgM Reports on Locusts

CAgM Report 73. July 1997. Chapter 5. Agrometeorological Information for Locust Control by D.E. Pedgley WMO/TD-No. 836. English only. Download size = 3.7 MB

CAgM Report 53. Décembre 1992. La Météorologie au service de la lutte anti-acridienne by B. Ambar WMO/TD-No. 527. French only. Download size = 1.2 MB

CAgM Report 39. April 1992. Part II - Report on Locust and Crop Pests. Partie II - Rapport sur la lutte contre les acridiens et autres ennemis des cultures by O. Sadi WMO/TD-No. 480. English and French. Download size = 2.4 MB.

CAgM Report 36. February 1991. Meteorology for Locust Control. La Météorologie au service de la lutte anti-acridienne. WMO/TD-No. 404. English and French. Download size = 1.3 MB.

WMO Technical Note No. 69. 1965. Meteorology and the Desert Locusts. Proceedings of the WMO/FAO Seminar in Tehran, Iran. Dec 1963. English. Download size = 20.0 MB.

WMO Technical Note No. 54. 1963. Meteorology and the Migration of Desert Locusts. by R.C. Rainey. English. Download size = 10.0 MB.

Complete List of CAgM Reports and Technical notes (WMO AGM web page)

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Upload Data (for NMHS use only)

This section is for National Meteorological and Hydrometeorological Services (NMHSs) to upload their weather data.

Click here to Upload Weather Data

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View Data (Password Protected)

This section is password protected to view the weather data. Only persons or organizations involved with locust monitoring and control activities will be allowed access. If use wish to obtain a username or password, please click on the "Contact" link on the left navigation bar and send an email stating your request.

Click here to View Weather Data