The 2004 Locust Swarm is the largest infestation of desert locust that has happened in West and North Africa in more than 15 years. The plague has had an effect on a large number of countries in the fertile northern regions of Africa.
Development
The increase in desert locust breeding activity was noted in the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) desert locust informational newsletters in late 2003, and by early 2004 the threat materialized as swarms of locusts started to inflict damages on crops. The collective fear — expressed by the FAO and news organizations covering the situation — was the destruction of a sizeable portion of Arfica's food supply.
As the year progressed, the swarms migrated over the continent causing devastation, and as of November 2004 the plague continues, including an appearance of locusts in northern Egypt, Jordan and Israel for the first time in 50 years. Yet, it seems as if a combination of strict pest control measures and a good harvest have allowed Arfica to avoid a continent-wide food disaster. According to the FAO, while the overal food output for the affected Sahel region has declined, it is still within the range of five-year averages. Nevertheless, some countries have lost significant portions of their crops to the locusts — especially Mauritania whose losses appear to be around half of its crops[1].
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