General Situation during March 2013 Forecast until mid-May 2013
The Desert Locust situation remained serious during March in the winter breeding areas along both sides of the Red Sea as control operations continued against hopper band and swarms. Locust numbers declined after mid-month due to control operations, dry vegetation and migration to the Nile Valley in Sudan and Egypt, and northwards to the Sinai Peninsula, Israel, Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon. Substantial egg laying, hatching and hopper band formation occurred near crops along a 1,000 km stretch of the Nile in northern Sudan. Swarms could form in May and threaten crops, and a second generation of breeding could take place before the summer. There is also a risk that breeding will occur in the interior of the Arabian Peninsula where good rains fell during March. In Northwest Africa, locust numbers increased in Algeria and Morocco where breeding will occur during the forecast period.