The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said, in its agricultural bulletin, on Thursday, that the desert locust poses a new threat to agricultural areas on the Red Sea coast and the Tihama Plain. As a result of the light rain that fell on these areas recently, which created suitable conditions for the reproduction of this harmful insect.

The organization indicated that desert locust swarms were moving from the eastern governorates (Ma'rib, Al-Jawf, Shabwa, and Hadramaut), heading towards the mountainous highlands and coastal areas, expecting their movement to continue towards the coastal areas, with the possibility of breeding in the winter.

The organization confirmed that it had received reports from field observers about the presence of dense swarms of desert locusts in the Lawdar district of Abyan Governorate, south of the country, which poses a threat to food security and agricultural crops in the region.

She stated that the team specialized in combating desert locusts is continuing its efforts to limit the spread of this pest.