Western Region. Breeding continued in northern Mauritania where hatching commenced during the second week of March followed shortly thereafter by the formation of small but dense hopper bands. Most of the infestations were located near Bir Moghrein and the Moroccan border but new locations were found further south by the end of the month. Ground operations treated 340 ha during March. Hatching should come to end in early April but hopper bands will continue into May, with new swarms starting to form during the second half of April onwards. Unless further rains fall, the swarms are likely to move on a relatively small scale towards the north-east or south during May. Along the Algerian-Libyan border, high densities of adults, thought to have originated from earlier and undetected local breeding or from previous infestations in northern Mali and Niger, laid eggs between Djanet, Algeria and Ghat, Libya. Hatching and band formation are expected to occur during the forecast period. Control operations so far have treated 1600 ha in Algeria and 650 ha in Libya. In Morocco, small groups of adults were present in the extreme south-west and insignificant adults were reported in a few places along the southern side of the Atlas Mountains. Low numbers of adults may be present and will persist in the Adrar des Iforas, Mali and in the southern Air, Niger.

Central Region. Low numbers of solitarious hoppers continued to mature in one area on the Red Sea coastal plains of Sudan. There were no other reports of locusts or breeding on the coastal plains of Eritrea or Saudi < B>Arabia nor in Ethiopia and Oman due to dry and unfavourable conditions. In northern Somalia, a few isolated adults were present on the central coastal plains. As this year's winter breeding produced very few locusts and further rainfall is unlikely, no significant developments are expected during the forecast period.

Eastern Region. Low numbers of solitary adults were present in the spring breeding areas of Baluchistan, Pakistan but there were no reports of laying due to prevailing dry and unfavourable conditions. If rain occurs, locust numbers may increase in parts of Baluchistan in Iran and Pakistan during the forecast period.

In West Africa, no significant rainfall was reported during March. As a result of a strong high pressure system over North Africa that persisted for the first half of the month, the prevailing winds from the north-east shifted to the east and south-east causing temperatures to be higher than normal in northern Mauritania. Severe sandstorms occurred in northern areas of Mauritania, Mali and Niger. Despite the lack of rainfall, patches of green vegetation were present in wadis and low-lying areas of northern Mauritania near Bir Moghrein and in a few places of the Adrar des Iforas in northern Mali and parts of the southern Air, Niger.

In North-West Africa, no significant rainfall was reported during March. Temperatures were higher than normal in southern Morocco, southern and central Algeria, and western Libya as a result of a strong high pressure system over Libya during most of the month. Prevailing winds were from the east and south-east over the western portion of the region and varying from the north and north-east to the south and south-west over the eastern part of the region. In Morocco, vegetation was drying up in most places except for a few spots in wadis and low-lying areas south of the Atlas Mountains. In Algeria, vegetation was green from last month's rains and conditions were favourable for breeding in the Tassili NAjjer region of the extreme south-east adjacent to the Libyan border. Similar conditions continue across the border into south-western Libya near Ghat.

In Eastern Africa, prevailing winds were mainly from the north-east and no significant rainfall was reported during March. Although clouds were present at times during the second half of the month over the Red Sea coastal plains between Suakin, Sudan and Masawa, Eritrea, conditions were generally dry except for one area south of Suakin where green vegetation was present in several khors and near Sheib, Eritrea where a few patches of green vegetation were reported. In addition, satellite imagery suggests the presence of green vegetation in Tokar Delta, Khor Baraka, and on the plains to the south near Aqiq, Sudan. In Ethiopia, dry conditions persisted in the south-east as a result of an on-going drought. In northern Somalia, clouds were present at times over the central coast and mountains but conditions remained dry except for small patches of green vegetation in a few wadis on the coastal plains. Dry conditions persisted in the interior and on the escarpment.

In the Near East, no significant rainfall was reported during March. Consequently, vegetation was dry and conditions were unfavourable for breeding along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden coastal plains and in the spring breeding areas of the interior of Saudi Arabia and the Batinah coast of northern Oman. Satellite imagery suggests that some green vegetation may have been present on the Red Sea coastal plains of Yemen in early March but that it was limited to just a few of the major wadis.

In South-West Asia, no significant rainfall was reported during March. Conditions were generally dry but may be improving slightly in a few of the spring breeding areas of Baluchistan such as the Turbat Valley in western Pakistan, and the Vashnam Plains and Bampur area of south-eastern Iran.

Algeria 1600 ha (31 March)

Libya 650 ha (21-23 March)

Mauritania 340 ha (1-31 March)

During March, adults continued to regroup and lay eggs in the extreme north near the Moroccan border. Hatching was first reported on the 8th at 11 locations near Bir Moghrein (2510N/1135W). During the second dekad, first instar hoppers formed dense groups and bands, ranging in size from 10 sq. m. to 5 ha. Second instar hoppers were first seen on the 14th. Most of the infestations were concentrated in the Tamreiket area about 60 km north-east of Bir Moghrein between W. Zouania (2535N/1116W) and W. El Mrhader (2535N/1105W) and to a lesser extent just to the east of Bir Moghrein. Adult groups were seen laying in a third area, Beirat Tourassine, about 110 km south-east of Bir Moghrein, where hatching started on the 18th. During the third dekad, control operations increased near Bir Moghrein, treating primarily second and third instar bands. Small patches of first instar hopper bands started forming in the Beirat Tourassine area on the 30th where no further laying was seen after the 22nd and in a fourth area of previous breeding west of Beirat Tourassine. A total of 340 ha was treated by ground teams during the month.

A late report indicated that no surveys were undertaken during February but there were unconfirmed reports from nomads and travellers of the formation of small swarms in several wadis of Timetrine.

No reports received.

No reports received.

No reports received.

In the extreme south-east (2353-2446N/1003-1053E), there were several reports of high densities of adults, up to 70 per sq. metre, copulating south-east of Djanet near the Libyan border on 21-30 March. An estimated area of about 2,400 ha was infested. Ground teams treated 1,600 ha on the 31st at 2446N/1042E.

In the extreme south-west, small groups of solitarious and transiens adults continued to mature in early March at three locations in the Aousserd region (ca. 2250N/1405W). A small group was seen flying on the 22nd towards the south-east near the Mauritania border in the Bir Guendouz (2123N/1634W) area.

On the southern side of the Atlas Mountains, isolated adults were present on 5-7 March near Ourzazate (3057N/0650W) and Tinjdade (3131N/0501W). Scattered adults at densities of 30-40 per ha were reported in Oued Draa at Ksar Chair (2911N/0759W) on the 21st.

Mature adults were reported to be copulating and laying in the southwest near Ghat and the Algerian border during March. Ground operations treated a total of 650 ha at four locations in Wadi Tanezzuft (2500N/1014E) and nearby areas on 21-23 March.< /P>

- Forecast

No reports received.

In early March, low numbers of mature solitarious adults persisted in a few places along the coastal plains between Suakin and Tokar Delta, primarily in Khor Ashat (1844N/3728E) and Khor Gowb (1850N/3720E). Solitarious and transiens hoppers at densities of up to 50 per sq. m. continued to mature in these places, reaching fifth instar by 8 March. These fledged and are thought to have dispersed towards the south-west. No further locusts were reported during the second half of the month.

On the northern coast and subcoastal areas, no locusts were seen during surveys in Wadi Diib and in the eastern Nubian Desert on 3-4 March.

No locusts were reported on the Red Sea coastal plains during February and March.

Isolated immature adults were seen at five places during surveys carried out in central coastal and interior areas of the north on 4-20 March. The adults were present near the coast between Berbera (1028N/4502E) and Meit (1058N/4705E).

No locusts were seen during surveys on 13-17 March near Dire Dawa.

No reports received.

No locusts were reported during surveys carried out on the Red Sea coast near Al Lith and Khulais, and in the spring breeding areas of the interior from 26 February to 14 March

No reports received.

No reports received.

No reports received.

No locusts were seen during surveys on the Batinah coast between Sohar and Muscat from 27 February to 4 March.

- Situation

Late reports indicated that no locusts were seen during surveys in Hormozgan and Kerman provinces and near Jask from December to February.

During the second fortnight of February, a few individual maturing and mature adults were seen at several locations throughout coastal (Pasni and Gwadar) and interior (Turbat and Panjgur) areas of Baluchistan as well as in Uthal.

During the first fortnight of March, a similar situation prevailed in the above areas and extended further north into Khuzdar.

No locusts were seen during surveys in the first half of March.

No reports received.

Locust reporting. Affected countries are kindly reminded to make sure that locust situation reports are sent to FAO HQ by the 25th day of the month so the information can be included in the FAO bulletin for the current month; otherwise, it will not appear until the following month. Reports should be sent even if no locusts were found or if no surveys were conducted.

Reporting by email. Affected countries are encouraged to send completed FAO Locust Survey Forms with a brief interpretation of the results by email to eclo@fao.org.

Latest webpage updates. Details and photos from the FAO/NRI Train the Trainers Course in Oman (http://www.fao.org/NEWS/GLOBAL/locusts/OMNtrain/OMNmain.htm) and the results and photos from the First Joint Survey of the Desert Locust Winter Breeding Areas on the Egyptian-Sudanese Border (http://www.fao.org/NEWS/GLOBAL/locusts/EGYSUD/JSmain.htm) are available. The locust publications page (http://www.fao.org/NEWS/GLOBAL/locusts/PUBS1.htm) has been redesigned.

Iran / Pakistan Joint Survey. The annual joint border survey in the spring breeding areas of Iran and Pakistan will take place from 15 April to 15 May. The final report will be posted on the locust webpages.