This year’s locust control measures have been completed in all regions of Kazakhstan. As a result, farmers’ crops have not been damaged by swarms of the grasshopper pests.
Over 3.1 million hectares of land have been treated against locusts, 23% more than the planned 2.5 million hectares. Monitoring work will continue in some regions for another week.
The amount of agricultural land affected by locusts has dramatically increased in recent years, from 514,000 hectares in 2020 to 1.6 million hectares in 2023. According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, locust outbreaks pose a severe threat to agriculture in the South Caucasus and Central Asia, with more than 25 million hectares and 20 million people in the region vulnerable to damage.
Kazakhstan has cooperated closely with agricultural authorities of bordering countries, including Russia, to monitor the potential spread of locusts. Next year the government plans to purchase 100 drones to monitor the birthplaces of locust larvae and more drones to treat fields.
