While the coronavirus pandemic is becoming containable, an additional problem has been established which may lead to famine.

 While the coronavirus pandemic is becoming containable, an additional problem has been established which may lead to famine

Desert Locust

 As soon as the coronavirus pandemic is becoming containable, an additional problem has been raised by a swamp of locusts in the north-western states of India.

The present locust outbreak has been termed as the most serious the nation has suffered in over two decades. The officials also calculated that this may risk the food security of the country as this may damage the crops.

Locusts are one of the oldest migratory pests in the world. They vary from common grasshoppers in their ability to change habits and form swarms that can move over great distances, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Of all its species, the Desert Locust (the ones attacking India) is the most deadly and can form dense swarms in response to environmental stimuli. During a plague, it can easily affect 20 percent of the Earth's land, more than 65 of the world's poorest countries, and destroy the livelihood of one-tenth of the world's population.

"They are ravenous eaters who consume food equal to their body weight per day, targeting food crops and forage. A single square kilometre of the swarm can contain up to 80 million adults, with the capacity to consume the same amount of food in one day as 35,000 people. Large swarms pose a major threat to food security and rural livelihoods,” the FAO website says adding that a swarm with a  size of Bamako, Niamey or Paris will eat the same quantity of food in a single day as half the population of Mali, Niger, and France, respectively.

Locusts in India are commonly seen between July and October. However, their unexpected arrival this year has increased concerns. Originally found in West Asia, a Desert Locust survives for about 90 days. It takes up to 15 days for the eggs to hatch and they become adults after 6 weeks. Adults need a month to develop and be ready to lay eggs.

Swarms of the desert #locust, which entered #India via Pakistan in April, entered residential areas in #Jaipur early this week.

While the Locusts normally affect districts in western #Rajasthan, this time the swarms have travelled as far as Jaipur. #locusts #desertlocust pic.twitter.com/oAtVRzG3iz

— The Logical Indian (@LogicalIndians) May 27, 2020

Desert locusts can travel up to 150km per day. If the size has not been decreased this may lead to a very large population of desert locusts within three to four months which may lead to global famine.

Advantageous climatic circumstances such as more extended monsoon and cyclonic storms in the northern Indian Ocean provided widespread breeding of the locusts in East Africa, Southwest Asia, and the region around the Red Sea responsible for the current outbreak.