| | The drought of Eritrea in 1979, which led to 1984-1985 famine, ended when rains returned in 1986. These rains allowed the eggs of desert locusts, which can exist in the dry for years, to hatch as the humidity was right. After 38 days hatched 'hoppers' turn into flying locusts. Normal control is by attacking the hoppers with insecticide before they swarm. Aerial spraying by the DLCO (Desert Locust Control Organisation), an inter-governmental body covering Africa and Arabia, could not proceed in Eritrea because of the war in EPLF-held lowland-areas. As the locusts did not respect boundaries, danger extends to the entire Horn. When locusts moved to the eastern slopes and highlands of Sahel, it became necessary for the EPLF (Eritrean People's Liberation Front) and ERA (Eritrean Relief Association) to organise spraying on the ground with truck-mounted sprays and motorised knapsack sprayers: a task not attempted since DLCO began aerial spraying 40 years ago. This combination of popular mobilisation and 'appropriate technology' led to only 3, 500 hectares being lost to the locusts. |
