FAO Locust Watch in Caucasus and Central Asia
| FAO Locust Watch in Caucasus and Central Asia | |
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| Acronym: | CCA |
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| Type: | Intergovernmental Organization |
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The FAO Locust Watch is a monitoring and information system managed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. It focuses on monitoring and managing locust outbreaks worldwide. One of the key regions under its watch is the Caucasus and Central Asia region, where locust infestations can pose a significant threat to agriculture and food security.
The CCA has 10 member countries, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Russia. Its main goal is to reduce the frequency and severity of locust outbreaks in CCA, thereby lowering damage to crops and rangelands and protecting rural food security and livelihoods, while also minimizing the health and environmental impacts of chemical control. Its immediate goals are to strengthen regional cooperation and build national capacity.[1]
The FAO Locust Watch in Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) programme was implemented by the FAO in 2011 with joint funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Turkey (under the FAO-Turkey Partnership Programme, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, as well as FAO resources (Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) and Regular Programme).[2]
The programme is integrated into the FAO's Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES) and is guided by the core principles of a locust preventive control strategy.[2]
The FAO CCA has issued regional monthly bulletins since 2010 and maintains the Locust Watch in Caucasus and Central Asia CCA website.
The FAO CCA, in partnership with national governments, conducts regular surveys to monitor locust populations and predict outbreaks. Control measures include preventive insecticide spraying, limited biological methods, and mechanical techniques. The region's challenging terrain and climate, along with the need for cross-border cooperation, complicate these efforts. The FAO CCA plays a crucial role by offering technical support, conducting capacity-building programs, and providing timely updates and alerts on locust activity.
The Caucasus and Central Asia region is primarily impacted by three locust species: the Italian locust (Calliptamus italicus), which is the most widespread; the Moroccan locust (Dociostaurus maroccanus), predominantly found in the southern parts of the region; and the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), which, though less common, can cause significant damage when it appears. This region includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Russia.[2]
Twenty-five million hectares of cultivated land are at risk, endangering the livelihoods of at least 20 million people, particularly the most vulnerable rural communities. Locust outbreaks in this region can devastate crops such as wheat, barley, and other grains, which are staple foods for the local populations.
Locusts have a vast distribution area, with key breeding grounds specific to each species. In the Caucasus and Central Asia, locust habitats span across political borders, which can lead to cross-border tensions. For example, Italian and Moroccan locusts breed along the borders of Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, while Moroccan locust outbreaks often start near the borders of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Migratory locust habitats are found near Kazakhstan's borders with neighboring countries, including Uzbekistan and Russia. Because this poses a challenge for regional cooperation, the FAO CCA and its Programme to improve national and regional locust management in Caucasus and Central Asia covers all ten countries.[1]
Available resources authored by this organization
| Name | Year published | Category | Author | Species purview | Geographic purview | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calendars 2023 on locust control safety measures | 2023 | Guide, Instructional guides | FAO Locust Watch in Caucasus and Central Asia, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia (country) | Azerbaijani, Armenian, Georgian | |
| Dociostaurus maroccanus Monograph | 2023 | Guide, Reference works | FAO Locust Watch in Caucasus and Central Asia, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Algeria, Russia, Georgia (country), Afghanistan, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Italy | Russian | |
| FAO Locust Watch bulletin for locusts in Caucasus and Central Asia | Situation bulletin, Technical reports | FAO Locust Watch in Caucasus and Central Asia, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Afghanistan, Georgia (country), Russia, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan | English | ||
| FAO Locust Watch Locusts in Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) meeting, research, workshop, survey report collection | 2022 | Technical report, Reference works | FAO Locust Watch in Caucasus and Central Asia, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan | English | |
| FAO’s technical series on locust management in the Caucasus and Central Asia | 2026 | Technical report, Instructional guides | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO Locust Watch in Caucasus and Central Asia, Alexandre Latchininsky | Georgia (country), Azerbaijan, Armenia, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia | English | |
| Migratory locust info poster | 2024 | Guide, Interactive visual tools | FAO Locust Watch in Caucasus and Central Asia, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan | Azerbaijani, English, Georgian, Kyrgyz, Russian, Tajik, Turkmen, Uzbek | |
| Moroccan locust info poster | 2021 | Guide, Reference works | FAO Locust Watch in Caucasus and Central Asia, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan | Azerbaijani, English, Georgian, Kyrgyz, Russian, Tajik, Turkmen, Uzbek | |
| Practical Guidelines on Pesticide Risk Reduction for Locust Control in CCA | 2019 | Guide, Instructional guides | FAO Locust Watch in Caucasus and Central Asia, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Harold Van der Valk | Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan | English, Georgian, Kyrgyz, Dari, Tajik, Uzbek, Azerbaijani | |
| Practical guidelines on the three locust pests in Caucasus and Central Asia | 2019 | Guide, Instructional guides | FAO Locust Watch in Caucasus and Central Asia, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan | Russian, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Turkmen | |
| Russian Bibliography on Orthopteroid Insects | Guide, Reference works | FAO Locust Watch in Caucasus and Central Asia | Russia | Russian |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (n.d.) Home. Retrieved August 19, 2024, from http://www.fao.org/locusts-cca/en/
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ries MW, Adriaansen C, Aldobai S, Berry K, Bal AB, Catenaccio MC, Cigliano MM, Cullen DA, Deveson T, Diongue A, Foquet B, Hadrich J, Hunter D, Johnson DL, Pablo Karnatz J, Lange CE, Lawton D, Lazar M, Latchininsky AV, Lecoq M, Le Gall M, Lockwood J, Manneh B, Overson R, Peterson BF, Piou C, Poot-Pech MA, Robinson BE, Rogers SM, Song H, Springate S, Therville C, Trumper E, Waters C, Woller DA, Youngblood JP, Zhang L, Cease A (2024) Global perspectives and transdisciplinary opportunities for locust and grasshopper pest management and research. Journal of Orthoptera Research 33(2): 169–216. doi:10.3897/jor.33.112803.