General Situation during September 2012 Forecast until mid-November 2012
The Desert Locust situation remained serious during September as a second generation of breeding commenced in northern Mali, Niger and Chad. This will cause locust numbers to increase further. As vegetation dries out, hopper bands and swarms are likely to form. From mid-October onwards, there is an increasing risk that adult groups and small swarms will move out of the Sahel and into Northwest Africa and, to a lesser extent, into cropping areas in Mali and Niger. The situation is further compounded by insecurity in northern Mali and in parts of northern Niger. Surveys should be maintained in all affected countries and control operations carried out when appropriate in order to reduce locust numbers and the potential threat to crops and pastures. All countries in the region should remain on high alert. Elsewhere, locusts were concentrating in parts of Sudan while monsoon rains ended along the Indo-Pakistan border where the situation remains calm.
