Director of plant health in the ministry of lands and agriculture, Velleminah Pelokgale has decried that the recent locust outbreak in some parts of the country is a threat to food security and community livelihoods.
An outbreak of African Migratory Locust has been confirmed in Boteti, Chobe and Tutume districts while there has also been traces of African Migratory Locust and Red Locust in the Chobe district.
Pelokgale stated that the African migratory locust has the potential to lay many eggs under wet conditions therefore leading to destruction of crops, posing a threat to food security and livelihoods,
She indicated that the locust is mostly found in pans and grazing areas in the said districts, indicating that Boteti is the most hit among the three districts.
As a preventative measure, Pelokgale stated that her department has planted fungus in breeding areas. She further stated that in order to control the outbreak they are currently fumigating some of the affected areas.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s Chobe Public Relations Officer, France Begensel revealed that the traces of locusts were first reported on the 8th April 2025 in their district. Begensel stated that 19 farmers have reported the cases but that doesn’t necessarily mean only 19 have been affected.
He noted that since locust destroy grass species including crops which are grass species like sorghum, maize and millet this poses a very significant threat to food production and therefore security. According to Begensel, the current controls are in Satau and Parakarungu though lately a case has been reported in Kavimba.
“Farmers can avail themselves during control and also in future where conditions allow plant as early as possible, a team has been deployed and actively spraying/controlling locust both in the fields and in the grassland,” he said.
Begensel highlighted that locusts lay eggs that can take up to a decade without hatching just waiting for the right conditions, such as good rains and temperatures of which can be attested earlier in the year.
In an interview, Pandamatenga Commercial Farmers Association Chairman Jaco Strachan said that though the outbreak of the locust has been confirmed in Chobe, it has however currently not reached them.
In a recent press release, the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture informed the public about the outbreak of the locust in Chobe, Tutume (Gweta) and Chobe.
The press release stated that, locusts are favoured by wet conditions after extreme rainfall which provides locusts with ideal breeding condition. It also indicated that locusts are highly destructive pests of pastures and cereal crops such as maize, millet and sorghum (Grass families).
‘‘The locust can be identified by different colours depending on the stages of growth (nymphs are green to brownish while adults are solitary brownish). African Migratory Locust adult can be distinguished by some fine hair on its chest while Red Locust has pink to purplish wings,’’ read the statement.
