The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on December 27 handed over special machinery, equipment, training manuals and personal protective equipment to the Plant Protection Agency of Uzbekistan to improve pest control processes, the FAO office in Uzbekistan said.
The agency, in particular, received 10 motorcycles, 14 tablets, 5 sprayers, 400 goggles, 400 masks, 240 gloves, 200 protective hats, 200 overalls, 100 pairs of shoes, 200 books, 1000 information posters and more.
FAO is implementing a project “Improving Locust Control (Phase II)” funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the benefit of Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
The project is introducing an improved locust outbreak response mechanism using less toxic pesticides and biological pest control drugs. Efforts are aimed at ensuring food security and improving the well-being of the rural population by preventing threats and reducing damage from pest outbreaks.
Locusts - the world's most dangerous migratory pest - can move 150 km a day, flock to 80 million and eat as much plant food per day as the population of a large city. Locusts pose a serious threat to agriculture, food security and well-being around the world, as dangerous insects can destroy crops on millions of hectares and devastate large farms. Damage in such cases is estimated in millions of dollars.
