Impact of Climate Change on Desert Locust Outbreaks

A new study has found that extreme wind and rain may lead to bigger and worse desert locust outbreaks, with human-caused climate change likely to intensify weather patterns and cause higher outbreak risks.

Desert locusts are migratory insects found in dry areas of northern and eastern Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, which travel in swarms of millions over long distances and damage crops, causing famine and food insecurity.

A square kilometer swarm comprises 80 million locusts that can consume food crops enough to feed 35,000 people in one day. The U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization describes it as “the most destructive migratory pest in the world.”

The study published in Science Advances found that more frequent and severe extreme weather events due to climate change could add unpredictability to locust outbreaks.

However, the study hoped that the study could help countries understand and address the impacts of climate variability on locust dynamics, particularly in the context of its repercussions on agricultural productivity and food security. It urged better regional and continental cooperation among countries and control organizations to respond quickly and build early warning systems.

The researchers found a strong link between the magnitude of desert locust outbreaks and weather and land conditions like air temperature, precipitation, soil moisture, and wind.

El Nino, a recurring and natural climate phenomenon, was also strongly tied to bigger and worse desert locust outbreaks. The study is a wake-up call for societies across the globe to come together to reduce climate change and implement strategies in response to global events such as increasing threats of desert locusts.