UNITED NATIONS, July 23 (UPI) -- Two U.N. agencies are helping Yemen fight its worst locust outbreak in 15 years by aiding donated pesticide deliveries from Mauritania to Yemen.
The donated chemicals were transported by air to Yemen in a joint operation between the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Program, the Rome-based agencies said Monday in a joint statement. The pesticide is to be used in an intensive campaign to prevent massive locust infestations and serious damage to food crops in Yemen and neighboring countries.
"The pesticide donation made by Mauritania shows the country's commitment to the global control of Desert Locust. With the arrival of aircraft and pesticides, a massive control campaign can be launched over a large and remote area of rough terrain," said FAO locust expert Christian Pantenius. "This should help to minimize the locust threat to local crops in most affected areas and to neighboring countries."
Mohamed El-Kouhene, WFP representative in Yemen, said, "It is vital to work fast to minimize the crop damage that these locusts cause and its impact on already vulnerable communities."
An aircraft leased by WFP on behalf of FAO arrived in Sana'a Saturday carrying almost 9,300 gallons of pesticides donated by the government of Mauritania. In addition, an agricultural spray plane chartered by FAO is to arrive in Sana'a within the next few days for locust control in the interior of Yemen.
Overall, up to approximately 290 square miles of locusts may have to be treated through air and ground control, for which FAO has leased vehicles from WFP's logistics center in Dubai, the agencies said.
