Farmers decry govt apathy to counter locust outbreak.

LAHORE -- Farmers complain that the government is doing too little to contain the locust attack threatening livelihoods of the farming communities as well as national food security.

'We had been urging the government for controlling the menace when it first appeared and travelled along deserts in India eight months ago. But, unfortunately, both the federal and provincial authorities did not give a fig to our pleadings,' bemoans Pakistan Kissan Ittehad President Khalid Mahmood Khokhar.

The locust attack that has become a phenomenon going beyond regions and continents has got attention of the international media too due to its drastic effects on crippling economies like Pakistan's. In a recent report,The Guardian reported, 'Pakistan will incur losses of about APS2bn in winter crops, such as wheat, and a further APS2.3bn in the summer crops being planted now, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). This will be economically devastating for a country where agriculture accounts for 20% of GDP and 65% of the population live and work in agricultural areas. Pakistan is already suffering from crippling inflation, which is now at a 12-year high, and the unprecedented economic burden imposed by the coronavirus pandemic'.

Criticising the government's attitude towards the crisis, the Pakistani Kissan Ittehad (PKI) president says the Department of Plant Protection and the provincial government didn't make ample efforts while the federal government could not release funds for hiring aircraft or the human resource to combat this insect during the last many months.

Say govt didn't release funds for aircraft or human resource

Desert locust is invading crops and orchards in the central and south Punjab ruining cotton, maize, till, moong and bean crops, fodders and mango orchards as government officials are sound asleep, laments Mr Khokhar.

He warns that if it locust invasion continues unchecked, it will lead the country to famine-like situation.

'Lack of fodder will threaten the livestock industry, especially for those small growers and families who have entire livelihood attached to milch animals and their milk production.'

Mr Khokhar says that cotton crop, which has been planted on a small acreage due to shortage of seed and its poor quality, has been eaten up by the locust and the farmers have no seed left for re-planting or gap filling. Similarly, other Kharif crops like till, maize and pulses all have been damaged.

Referring to...