WINDHOEK, April 8 (Xinhua) -- A locust outbreak has affected about 32,896 hectares (329 square km) of land in Namibia's northeastern Zambezi Region since January, threatening crop fields and grazing areas, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform said Tuesday.
In a progress update, the ministry said control operations, including aerial and ground spraying, had been carried out in affected areas such as Muyako, Chinchimani and Masokotwani before being disrupted by seasonal flooding in early March.
By March 2, about 7,124 hectares had been treated, including 2,769 hectares of crop fields and 4,355 hectares of grazing land, according to the ministry.
The ministry said both ground teams and drone technology had been deployed in the operation, with more than 13,000 liters of pesticides applied to contain African migratory locusts and other crop-damaging pests.
Despite the setback caused by flooding, monitoring efforts are continuing, with technical teams assessing the situation and engaging affected communities, it said.
The ministry said full-scale spraying operations would resume once floodwaters subside and access to affected areas improves.
The outbreak has added pressure on livelihoods in the flood-hit region, where crop production and grazing land have already been affected by seasonal flooding. ■
