Ministry of Agriculture is preparing to discuss the possibility of swarms of western Saudi locusts entering Israel • So what are the chances of this happening?

• The swarms on their way to Israel? // Photo: Islands. times

Agriculture Minister Tzahi Hanegbi is holding a hearing today on the possibility of the entry of swarms of western Saudi barge into Israel. The Negev Minister said that according to the estimates of the Ministry of Agriculture, the chance that the barge will reach Israel is low, but in light of past experience this forecast may change and it is desirable to prepare ahead of time.

"We do not anticipate any real danger, but it should always be prepared ahead of time in case of an emergency. We are prepared and hope that this is not necessary," the minister noted. At the hearing, the Minister instructed the Ministry of Agriculture's crop protection services to begin preparations for the possibility of entry of the swarm of swarms into the territories of the State of Israel, and to maintain continuous contact with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for a snapshot of the locomotive movement in the territories of Saudi Arabia.

Locust blow to East Africa // Photo: From Twitter

At the same time, the minister instructed the Ministry of Agriculture staff to ensure that the pesticide-friendly, non-human pesticides stock could be used, if needed.

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After six years: Locust swarms are approaching Israel

The last time swarms of locusts came to Israel was in 2013, when the Ministry of Agriculture anticipated the entry of locusts and their movement from the Gaza border to the prairie. Last year, the barge reached Jordan and Egypt, but thanks to international cooperation, it did not enter Israel, and they stopped about 20 km from the prairie border.

As mentioned, locusts do not endanger humans and animals, and are only "nuisances" in the air and damage to agriculture. In general, desert locust is a prominent agricultural pest of plants. Its prevalence in the territories depends, among other things: on weather, locusts, their size and the speed of their migration. Its distribution is widespread, close to 30 million square kilometers in 60 countries. The locust feeds on a wide variety of plant species, as well as leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds and bark.

According to reports worldwide, locusts of swarms are now found in East Africa in Somalia, southern Ethiopia and Kenya as well as on the Indian and Pakistan border, creating a humanitarian crisis in Africa in the context of food as a result of the damage.