Online Reporter
Patience Maturure
Agriculture Reporter
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development has called for proactive strategies in tackling migratory pests and enforcing supportive policies to ensure food security.
These include investing in satellite imagery and drone patrols to better support ground teams in their efforts to ensure rapid responses to locust upsurges.
Officiating at the International Red Locust Control Organisation for Central and Southern Africa (IRLCO-CSA) meeting in Harare on Tuesday, Professor Obert Jiri, Permanent Secretary for Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, said the country’s recent agricultural successes, including a bumper harvest in the 2024/2025 season, were also attributed to the Government’s proactive measures in addressing migratory pests and implementing supportive policies.
“This bounty has been safeguarded from the devastating potential of pests such as the fall armyworm and quelea birds.
“The vigilant surveillance of locust breeding grounds in the south-east lowveld, a collaborative effort involving IRLCO-CSA, the Ministry, and stakeholders in the sugar cane industry, played a crucial role in protecting the harvest,” he said.
“The organisation’s proactive measures are vital in protecting food supplies; without them, the region’s food security is at risk,” he said.
Prof Jiri warned that the region faced an increased risk of locust outbreaks due to favourable breeding conditions, presenting both internal and external threats that require heightened vigilance.
“The intelligence we have is clear and concerning. Conducive breeding conditions for the African Migratory Locust persist in our region, creating a tinderbox scenario that elevates the likelihood of significant outbreaks.
“We are not only facing internal threats; there is a real and present danger of invasions from non-member territories,” he said.
He urged the Government to bolster internal technical capabilities, advocating for investments in advanced surveillance technologies and the strengthening of early warning systems to ensure rapid responses to locust upsurges.
“We must enhance our technical capabilities by investing in satellite imagery and drone patrols to support our ground teams.
“Strengthening our early warning systems is essential to ensure that the first sign of an upsurge is met with a swift and controlled response,” he said.
Prof Jiri also called for proactive diplomacy and technical cooperation with non-member states to address the regional security threat posed by pest invasions.
“I strongly urge the organisation, with the backing of member states, to formalise coordination mechanisms with technical counterparts in non-member states from which invasions may originate.
“Pest control is a matter of regional security; our outreach must reflect this urgency.
“An unchecked breach in one area can escalate into a crisis for all,” he said.
Timely and adequate funding, he said, was crucial for the success of pest control efforts, with annual contributions from member states being vital for IRLCO-CSA’s operations.
“The dedicated work of the IRLCO-CSA secretariat and its field operations depend entirely on the timely and full payment of annual contributions by member states.
“Delegates are urged to view their financial obligations as investments in national food security and economic stability, and to recommit to fulfilling their pledges urgently and consistently to ensure collective security,” he said.
