• Current situation: calm in all regions

• June: beginning of the rains in the summer breeding areas

• July–September: Above normal rains likely in summer breeding areas for small-scale breeding

• October: potential increase in locusts in the African Sahel, Yemen, the Indo-Pakistan border

The Desert Locust situation remained calm during June.

Only low numbers of solitarious adults persisted in southeast Egypt and near irrigated areas in the Algerian Sahara. No control operations were required during the month.

Due to a persistent La Niña episode, seasonal rains started earlier than normal as expected in parts of the southern parts of the summer breeding areas in the northern Sahel between Mauritania and western Eritrea. Rains were heavier and more widespread in Mauritania. Nevertheless, vegetation remained generally dry but was starting to become green in parts of central Niger, interior Sudan and eastern Ethiopia.

In response to a negative Indian Ocean dipole, pre-monsoon rains fell in some areas along the Indo-Pakistan border, which is expected to turn annual vegetation green.

During the forecast period, small-scale breeding will occur in the northern Sahel from Mauritania to western Eritrea and along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border. This will cause locust numbers to increase slightly but remain well below threatening levels. Limited breeding may also occur in northeast Ethiopia and in the interior of Yemen if rains fall during the forecast period.

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations