UN body asserts support to Pakistan in combating locust

ISLAMABAD: A UN body on Saturday affirmed support to Pakistan in controlling locust that poses risks to agriculture output amid anemic growth in the country.

Qu Dongyu, director general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) affirmed to consider provision of support to compliment the efforts of the government of Pakistan for controlling locust.

“Locust has delivered a serious disaster in eastern Africa,” Dongyu said during his first official visit to an Asian country. “FAO is mobilising its resources in collaboration with its development partners to cope with this emergency situation.”

The two sided signed a technical cooperation project agreement for locust control. FAO can provide assistance for surveillance of locust especially mapping out the situation intra-regional and regional situation.

The UN official called on the Minister for National Food Security and Research Khusro Bakhtyar. Senior officials of FAO and the ministry were also present during the meeting.

The officials are on a visit to Pakistan from February 14-16, 2020. “The minister and the DG (FAO) agreed that FAO and the ministry may jointly develop a roadmap for locust control,” an official statement said.

Locust swarms, in recent past, affected large swaths of agriculture lands across the country, compelling the government to declare national emergency to respond in controlling the insects that destroy crops.

Food minister appreciated the FAO’s contribution for development of agriculture sector.

“Pakistan and FAO have long history of collaboration which may further be strengthened by developing new cooperation mechanism policy particularly for locust control,” the minister said. “The government of Pakistan has declared a national emergency for controlling locust.” Bakhtyar said.

The minister said the government is likely to launch a massive operation for locust control shortly for which Department of Plant Protection, provincial governments and National Disaster Management Authority would jointly be engaged. “Technical support of FAO would be extremely important to curb the menace of locust in an effective and timely manner,” he added. “For this purpose a coordination cell is being established at the ministry of national food security and research.”

Bakhtyar said DG (FAO) has undertaken locust control as an emergency project and scheduled an exhaustive visit on Sunday to some areas in Multan and Depalpur to witness the locust situation.

Meanwhile, the visiting delegation also discussed avenues of cooperation to drive forward the progressive agriculture and nutrition agenda and working closely to deliver to the small farmers and disadvantaged people in rural areas of the country.