Tensile test in Italy: After the Lake Garda discussion – plague of locusts in Sardinia: “Like in a horror film”
Created: 06/25/2022, 04:55 am
By: Antonio Jose Riether
The plague of locusts in Sardinia is linked to an increase in temperature.
(Iconic image) © Inaki Relanzon/imago-images
The Italian Mediterranean island of Sardinia is being plagued by billions of locusts, much to the chagrin of the population and the economy.
Ottana - The second largest Italian island, Sardinia, is again being hit by a severe plague of locusts this summer, but this year the situation is particularly severe.
The center of the Mediterranean island is particularly affected by the catastrophe, which causes great damage in the agricultural part of Sardinia and threatens people's livelihoods.
Locust plague in Italy: "Critical situation" for farmers in Sardinia
The places worst affected by the insect plague are Nuoro, Ottana and Orani.
There, the inhabitants live mostly from cattle breeding and agriculture, the locusts destroy the livestock of the farmers.
“I usually have the hay here, but now I have to bring it here myself.
That was actually our best time of year, that's over now," says farmer Mario Marco from Ottana to
Welt
.
The mayor of the village of Franco Saba is also concerned.
"It's a critical situation, people have developed a kind of phobia of the locusts.
They don't go out from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., which is when the swarms are greatest," he explains.
The cool May and the extremely hot temperatures in June provided the best breeding conditions for the locusts, which are now spreading further.
Plague of locusts: farmers' association sounds the alarm - insects "destroy work and investments like a fire"
The extent of the destruction is immense.
As the Italian farmers' association Coldiretti announced in mid-June, the insects have already destroyed seeds on 30,000 hectares of land.
Grain fields and gardens are littered with locusts, and many Internet videos from the affected farmers show the damage the animals have caused so far.
“Locusts destroy the crops of an entire field, wiping out months of work and investment like a fire.
Natural methods such as plowing the fields and using insects that fight the locusts are the most effective methods against the locust plague,” the Coldiretti explained.
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Locust plague in Sardinia: situation for farmers "like in a horror movie"
The politicians sounded the alarm as early as the middle of the month, so the Sardinian MP Lucia Scanu spoke of a "biological catastrophe" and asked the government in Rome for help.
The Italian Minister of Agriculture Stefano Patuanelli was also asked for help by the farmers, who are experiencing a situation "like in a horror film".
The drought is also making itself felt on the Italian mainland.
For example, the Po delta has almost dried up in many places.
Local politicians recently brought up the idea of filling the country's longest river with water pumped from Lake Garda.
However, this did not exactly cause enthusiasm in northern Italy.
(ajr)
