Extreme wind and rain may lead to bigger and worse desert locust outbreaks, with human-caused climate change likely to intensify the weather patterns and cause higher outbreak risks, a new study has found.
The desert locust, known as 'the most destructive migratory pest in the world,' poses a significant threat to agriculture and food security in regions including northern and eastern Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. These migratory insects travel in swarms of millions, devouring crops along their path and causing famine and food insecurity. A swarm covering just one square kilometer can contain 80 million locusts, capable of consuming enough food crops in a single day to feed 35,000 people.
