Western Region. A total of 20 ha of hoppers and adults were treated in southeastern Morocco during June. These probably originated from local breeding during the first three weeks of May by adults that may have come from northern Mali where there were unconfirmed reports of important populations during March and April. As conditions are rapidly drying out in Morocco, no significant developments are expected. Elsewhere, no locusts were reported and no surveys were conducted. Summer rains have recently started in the southern part of the Sahel but conditions are generally still dry and only starting to become green in some places. Small-scale breeding is expected to occur during the forecast period in southern Mauritania, northern Mali and Niger as the rains increase in these areas.

Central Region. No locusts were reported in the region during June. Summer rains started in the southern part of the locust breeding area in the interior of Sudan where conditions are improving and small-scale breeding is expected to occur during the forecast period. Good rains fell in eastern Ethiopia, northwestern Somalia and Oman where vegetation is green in some places but breeding is unlikely to occur because there are few, if any, locusts to take advantage of the conditions.

Eastern Region. Locust numbers declined in the spring breeding areas in western Pakistan and isolated adults appeared in the summer breeding areas along the Indo-Pakistan border. Similar numbers may be present in adjacent areas of Rajasthan, India, where breeding conditions are favourable. Small-scale breeding is expected to occur in both areas with the onset of the monsoon rains but no significant developments are likely.

In West Africa, the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) continued to move northwards during June, oscillating between 15-20N. At times, it temporarily surged as far north as 22N over northern Mali, Niger and Chad. Consequently, the first summer rains fell in the southern part of the Sahel. In Mauritania, light rain fell in areas of the south and southeast. In Mali, light rain was reported in the west and central parts of the country as well from the Adrar des Iforas to the Algerian border. In Niger, light rain fell in some areas of Tamesna and the southern and western parts of Air. In Chad, good rains fell along the northern edge of Lake Chad. With the exception of small localised patches of annual vegetation in parts of central Mauritania (southwest Tagant near El Khatt and Tamassoumit), northern Mali (Adrar des Iforas, Timetrine, Bouressa Basin) and Niger (interdunal areas in Tamesna), ecological conditions are still dry and only starting to become green in some areas. More rain is needed before they become suitable for locust breeding.

In North-West Africa, no significant rainfall was reported during June although light rains fell on the Algerian-Mali border at Bordj Bou Mokhtar on the 13-14th and again on the 23-24th. Some of the earlier rains may have extended further north into the central and southern Sahara in Algeria. Ecological conditions were reported to be dry or drying out throughout the region because of prevailing high temperatures.

In Eastern Africa, isolated showers were reported at times during June. In Sudan, rains fell over the southern portion of the summer breeding areas in Northern Darfur, Northern Kordofan and White Nile States during the first half of the month. Most of these were isolated light showers although widespread rains fell on the 12th. By the end of the month, rain-bearing clouds had reached as far north as El Fasher and El Obeid and green vegetation was present in Northern Kordofan up to about 1413N. Nevertheless, additional rainfall is required before conditions are favourable for locust breeding. During the first dekad of June, good rains fell in eastern Ethiopia where Jijiga reported 36 mm and Dire Dawa 15 mm. Some of these rains extended into adjacent areas of northwestern Somalia where light rains were reported between Hargeisa and Boroma and vegetation was green. By mid month, the short rains season (Belg) had come to an end in Ethiopia.

In the Near East, no significant rainfall was reported during June except in Oman. Widespread light to moderate showers fell on the 9-14th in coastal (Batinah) and interior (Dakhliya, Dhahira, and Sharkiya) areas of northern Oman where there were a few areas of green or greening vegetation from the rains that fell in May. In southern Oman, the monsoon (Khareef) season began on the Salalah coastal plains and Dhofar Hills. Light rains may have also fallen on the southern Red Sea coastal plains in Yemen on 1 June. Dry, hot and unfavourable conditions were reported in the interior and coastal areas of Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

In South-West Asia, there was little indication that the monsoon had reached the summer breeding areas along the Indo-Pakistan border in June despite early rains that fell in late May throughout Rajasthan, India. Nevertheless, conditions were reported to be favourable for breeding in Rajasthan by mid June. At the end of the month, significant cloud activity was present over the Tharparkar Desert in southeastern Pakistan and adjacent areas of Rajasthan, India where good rains may have fallen. Dry conditions were reported in the spring breeding areas of western Pakistan and southeastern Iran.

Morocco 20 ha (23-24 June)

No locusts were reported and no surveys were carried out during the second half of May and first half of June. No reports were received for the second half of June.

No locusts were reported and no surveys were carried out during June.

No locusts were reported and no surveys were carried out during June.

No reports received.

No locusts were reported during June.

No reports received.

Small infestations of fourth and fifth instar solitarious hoppers and fledglings at densities of up to 800 per ha were concentrated at three locations in Oued Draa between 2839N/0853W and 2923N/0725W during June. Ground control operations were carried out on the 23-24th in one of these areas where densities were 1-2 locusts per m2, treating 15 ha at Ksar Chair (2908N/0758W) and 5 ha at Boulaadam (2907N/0802W).

No locusts were reported and no surveys were carried out during June.

No locusts were reported during June.

No locusts were reported and no surveys were carried out during June.

No reports received.

No locusts were seen during surveys on the northwestern escarpment between Hargeisa and Boroma on 3-5 June.

No locusts were seen during surveys carried out near Dire Dawa and Jijiga on 13-18 June.

No locusts were reported during surveys near the Somali border between Holhol (1118N/4255E) and Ali Sabieh (1110N/4238E) during the first half of June.

Two solitary adults were seen near Lith (2010N/4015E) on 3 June. Elsewhere, no locusts were reported.

No locusts were seen along the Aden coastal plains on 30-31 May or in the interior desert between Wadi Hadhramaut and Marib on 8-10 June.

No reports received.

No reports received.

No locusts were reported in Musandam, Batinah, Dakhliya, Dhahira, and Sharkiya regions in the north during June.

No reports received.

No locusts were reported in Kerman province on 23-24 June.

During the second half of May, individual mature locust adults were seen in Baluchistan on the coast near Pasni at Rumra (2526N/6341E) and in the interior near Kharan at Naro (2822N/6532E) on 18 and 25 May respectively.

During the first half of June, individual immature and mature adults were first seen at three places in the summer breeding areas at Islamkot (2437N/7014E) in Tharparkar Desert, and at Sadewala (2753N/7056E) and Fazilwala (2755N/7058E) in Cholistan. A mature adult was also reported in Las Bela at Kandewari (2532N/6608E).

No locusts were reported during the second half of May and first half of June.

No reports received.

Afghanistan. A mechanical and chemical emergency control campaign was organized against serious infestations of Moroccan Locust (Dociostaurus maroccanus) in Qunduz, Baghlan, Samangan, Balkh and Sar-i-Pol provinces in northern Afghanistan. Nearly 238,000 ha had been treated by mid June. Although some crop damage was reported, overall losses are not expected to exceed about seven percent. Given that widespread laying has already occurred in most areas, planning is underway for a well prepared preventive control campaign in 2003. FAO story:

www.fao.org/english/newsroom/news/2002/5000-en.html

Tanzania. An estimated 200 km2 of Red Locust (Nomadacris septemfasciata) swarms, at densities of up to 50 or more locusts/m2, were present in the Iku-Katavi, Wembere and Malagarasi outbreak areas in Western Tanzania during June. Aerial control operations against swarms are planned to commence by the end of July.

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 e-mail. Affected countries are encouraged to send completed FAO Desert Locust Survey and Control Forms with a brief interpretation of the results by e-mail to eclo@fao.org.

Desert Locust Guidelines. The revised edition in English was issued on 24 September 2001 and is now available from FAO. Please contact the Locust Group for more information.

eLocust. Details of a new system under evaluation for recording and transmitting locust survey and control data collected in the field can be found on the Internet at: www.fao.org/news/2001/010601-e.htm

Publications on the Internet. A list of publications that can be downloaded from the FAO Locust webpages is now available (www.fao.org/news/global/locusts/pubslist.htm). New additions are:

- Report of the 23rd session of the NW Africa Commission (CLCPANO) in French and Arabic

- Report of the 36th session of the DLCC recently held in Rome (English and French; Arabic upon request)

- FAO Desert Locust Guidelines, revised edition, 2001 (English)

- FAO Spray Monitoring Form (English)

Desert Locust research award. The FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region (CRC) is pleased to announce a cash award for outstanding research on Desert Locust. For more details, please contact the CRC Office in Cairo (munir.butrous@fao.org).

Upcoming events. The following are scheduled:

- CLCPRO. First Session, FAO Rome, 18-20 September

- EMPRES/CR. ULV sprayer evaluation workshop, Cairo (Egypt), 23-25 September

- EMPRES/WR. Improved locust control application techniques regional workshop, Nouakchott (Mauritania), 5-10 October

- EMPRES/CR. Training of trainers workshop, Oman, 7-17 October

- EMPRES/CR. 10th Liaison officers meeting, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), 27-31 October

- EMPRES/WR. 1st Liaison officers meeting, Niamey (Niger), 15-19 December (tentative)

- SW Asia Commission. 23rd Session, Islamabad (Pakistan), 15-19 December