Climate Adaptation
Rains Drive Biggest S. African Locust Infestation in Decades
- Parts of country had heaviest rain on record in December
- Brown locust infestation began in September, has spread
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South Africa is experiencing its biggest infestation of brown locusts in decades with heavy rains allowing the crop-eating insects to multiply rapidly.
The infestation, which started in September, has spread to three provinces - the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape - and 80 million rand ($5.4 million) has already been spent combating it with insecticide, the agriculture department said in a statement on Thursday.