Defending the Harvest: Eritrea’s Proactive Battle Against Locust Invasions

By B. Tekle

The desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is one of the world’s most ancient and devastating migratory pests, capable of consuming vast amounts of green vegetation and crippling the food security of entire nations. For Eritrea, an arid and semi-arid nation where the majority of the population relies on agriculture, this winged invasion poses a persistent and severe threat to livelihoods. Driven by climate anomalies and volatile weather patterns, the Greater Horn of Africa has faced massive locust upsurges in recent years. Yet, through a combination of rigorous early warning systems, cutting-edge digital tracking, innovative ecological strategies, and new permanent infrastructure, Eritrea has mounted a formidable, proactive defense against this recurrent plague.

The Historical Frontline and Overcoming Adversity 

Eritrea’s Red Sea coastal plain, stretching from regions like Gelalo to Karora, encompasses some of the most prolific winter breeding grounds for desert locusts globally. Historically, managing these outbreak zones was a monumental challenge. During the plagues of 1986–1989 and 1992–1994, which originated on these coastal plains, operations were severely hampered by Eritrea’s 30-year war for independence and the dangerous legacy of unexploded landmines. Decades ago, remote locations like the Shelshela area required hours of perilous navigation through dry wadis, sand dunes, and minefields in four-wheel-drive vehicles.

However, the landscape of locust management has evolved dramatically. Through post-independence infrastructure development, such as a gravel causeway road built to connect the Asmara-Massawa artery to the town of Shieb, travel times were drastically reduced, opening the door for rapid response. This infrastructural progress laid the groundwork for the country’s modern, preventative strategy.

The Strategy of Prevention and Recent Triumphs 

Eritrea’s fundamental strategy against the desert locust is based on prevention: intervening before the hopper bands mature and take flight. Annually, during the winter and summer breeding seasons, the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) deploys surveillance teams across the country’s approximately 7 million hectares of favorable breeding land.

This proactive approach was put to the ultimate test during the massive regional upsurge of 2020–2021, considered one of the worst in 50 to 70 years. Despite waves of swarms arriving from neighboring countries and across the Red Sea, Eritrea successfully treated over 101,000 hectares of infested land. The national effort protected crops and rangelands to the tune of 99.6 percent. Aided by United Nations support, national surveillance teams monitored 500,000 hectares and safeguarded 35,000 cattle and 120,000 small ruminants, ultimately sustaining the agricultural livelihoods of 23,876 vulnerable households.

The threat, however, did not vanish after 2021. In late 2023 and early 2024, the Northern and Southern Red Sea Regions experienced a locust invasion described as unprecedented in scale and scope. The government mobilized over 1,400 personnel, 14 spraying units, and military defense forces to systematically neutralize the swarms. By March 2025, cross-border swarms originating from Sudan threatened the western Gash Barka region, but swift intervention successfully controlled outbreaks across hundreds of hectares in the Kerkebet, Forto-Sawa, and Teseney sub-zones.

The Digital Battlefield 

A key factor in these modern success stories is the digitization of locust surveillance, coordinated with international bodies like the FAO, the Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region (CRC), and the Desert Locust Control Organization for Eastern Africa (DLCO-EA).

Frontline scouts and agricultural workers now utilize a sophisticated suite of digital tools to transmit data via satellite in real-time. The introduction of eLocust3m—a smartphone application developed in partnership with Penn State University and Plant Village—allows localized data collection on rainfall, ecology, and locust maturity. In remote regions lacking cellular connectivity, teams utilize eLocust3g on handheld GPS devices. This constant stream of field data automatically feeds into global geographic information systems (GIS) and platforms like EarthRanger, serving as a digital control tower to direct ground and aerial assets efficiently.

Environmental Health and Indigenous Innovation 

Winning the battle against the desert locust also requires ensuring that control methods do not irreparably harm the environment. Recognizing the ecological sensitivity of its landscapes, Eritrea has actively pursued alternatives to broad-spectrum chemical pesticides.

The MoA has successfully piloted biological controls, formally registering the bio-pesticide Green Muscle (Metarhizium acridium) to target locust populations naturally. Furthermore, Eritrean engineers and plant protection experts have innovated beyond chemicals entirely by designing a motorized “locust harvesting” machine. Tested in breeding areas, this sucking machine is designed to harvest locust hoppers so they can be repurposed as high-protein poultry feed.

When chemical pesticides are strictly necessary, Eritrea emphasizes environmental safety. The country has integrated the use of drum cleaners and crushers to manage empty pesticide containers safely, ensuring toxic residues are neutralized and preventing locals from repurposing the drums for domestic water and food storage.

Cementing Resilience: The Gadim Halib Center 

Moving further away from temporary, reactive measures, Eritrea achieved a major milestone in September 2025 with the opening of a permanent, state-of-the-art desert locust monitoring and control center in Gadim Halib. Constructed in just seven months by the Eritrean Defense Forces and local construction companies, the facility is strategically located 60 kilometers east of Afabet Town in the Northern Red Sea Region, directly overlooking critical eastern lowland breeding grounds.

Previously, locust control operators battled the elements in makeshift shelters, exposed to harsh chemicals and unpredictable desert weather. The new Gadim Halib complex features administrative offices, dormitories, a conference hall, maintenance garages, and secure storage. By establishing this permanent fortress, Eritrea is shifting its paradigm entirely to preparedness. “We’re not just reacting to outbreaks anymore,” noted Mr. Efrem Kiflu, an MoA official. “This center is about preparedness — anticipating and addressing the threat before it takes root”.

Conclusion 

As climate change continues to drive extreme weather anomalies across the Horn of Africa, creating prime conditions for future pest outbreaks, the war against the desert locust remains an ongoing reality. Nevertheless, Eritrea’s steadfast commitment to agricultural defense offers a powerful template for resilience. By merging its ethos of self-reliance with cutting-edge digital tracking, sustainable bio-pesticides, and permanent infrastructure, the nation is actively shielding its food supply. Defending the harvest in Eritrea is no longer a desperate scramble; it is a highly coordinated, technologically advanced, and continuously evolving science.