The Ministry of Municipality and Environment, represented by the Agricultural Affairs Department, has organised a national workshop on establishing a national system for monitoring and controlling the desert locust in Qatar, in co-operation with Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Commission for Controlling Desert Locust in the presence of HE the Assistant Undersecretary of Agriculture and Fisheries Affairs Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser al-Thani, a number of ministry officials, representatives of the concerned agencies, specialists and media personals.
HE Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser al-Thani
HE Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser al-Thani stressed in a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) the efforts of Qatar, under the guidance of good leadership and in accordance with the strategic plans of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment in implementing the highest international quality standards and the acquisition of the latest vital devices and the best types of pesticides, which enhances the commitment the State in all international covenants and charters.
He Further added that the Agricultural Affairs Department decided to activate the emergency response plan in the event that locust swarms may spread in the country through developing the work plan currently in force and forming a working group led by each of the Agricultural Affairs Department and the Environmental Operations Department in co-operation with other relevant authorities, logistical and informational information, so that the roles are divided and tasks are integrated for each party concerned with the implementation of the plan.
He added that the administration co-ordinated with the FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region to seek the assistance of its experts to contribute to the development of the aforementioned plan, in addition to gaining international expertise in this field.
He pointed out that Qatar is considered a transit country, not a breeding country, for the desert locust, according to the classification of international organisations. Furthermore, he pointed out to the existing work that is being done to eliminate the desert locusts with minimum cost and the globally approved technologies, adding that the animal wealth represented by camels and livestock were not affected because pastoralists and farmers were alerted and educated.
He stressed that the importance of this workshop also lies in raising the efficiency and level of workers in the field of tracking and controlling the desert locust, the quality of pesticides used and the importance of co-ordination between the various authorities in the country.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Commission for Controlling the Desert locust in the Central region Dr Munir Gabra Butrous spoke about the situation of the desert locust in the Horn of Africa and neighbouring countries, the locust situation in the Red Sea region, noting the preparations made by Qatar to contain the current situation by preparing an emergency plan for rapid intervention against the desert locusts and to co-operate with relevant authorities, as well as to set up a programme to qualify cadres working against locusts in all sectors of the country.
The workshop dealt with the spread of desert locusts in the neighbouring countries and the possibility of their arrival in Qatar, set steps and programmes that enable the ministry to monitor the movements of locust swarms, and carry out control operations to avoid economic damage to the agricultural sector.
The importance of convening this workshop comes in light of what the country witnessed in the recent arrival of swarms of desert locusts, as the Agricultural Affairs Department, in co-operation with its strategic partners in this regard, rushed to take the necessary measures to limit the spread of locusts according to an action plan that would eliminate these swarms. All concerned parties were keen to intensify their efforts to contribute to limiting their spread.
He Further added that the Agricultural Affairs Department decided to activate the emergency response plan in the event that locust swarms may spread in the country through developing the work plan currently in force and forming a working group led by each of the Agricultural Affairs Department and the Environmental Operations Department in co-operation with other relevant authorities, logistical and informational information, so that the roles are divided and tasks are integrated for each party concerned with the implementation of the plan.
He added that the administration co-ordinated with the FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region to seek the assistance of its experts to contribute to the development of the aforementioned plan, in addition to gaining international expertise in this field.
He pointed out that Qatar is considered a transit country, not a breeding country, for the desert locust, according to the classification of international organisations. Furthermore, he pointed out to the existing work that is being done to eliminate the desert locusts with minimum cost and the globally approved technologies, adding that the animal wealth represented by camels and livestock were not affected because pastoralists and farmers were alerted and educated.
He stressed that the importance of this workshop also lies in raising the efficiency and level of workers in the field of tracking and controlling the desert locust, the quality of pesticides used and the importance of co-ordination between the various authorities in the country.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Commission for Controlling the Desert locust in the Central region Dr Munir Gabra Butrous spoke about the situation of the desert locust in the Horn of Africa and neighbouring countries, the locust situation in the Red Sea region, noting the preparations made by Qatar to contain the current situation by preparing an emergency plan for rapid intervention against the desert locusts and to co-operate with relevant authorities, as well as to set up a programme to qualify cadres working against locusts in all sectors of the country.
The workshop dealt with the spread of desert locusts in the neighbouring countries and the possibility of their arrival in Qatar, set steps and programmes that enable the ministry to monitor the movements of locust swarms, and carry out control operations to avoid economic damage to the agricultural sector.
The importance of convening this workshop comes in light of what the country witnessed in the recent arrival of swarms of desert locusts, as the Agricultural Affairs Department, in co-operation with its strategic partners in this regard, rushed to take the necessary measures to limit the spread of locusts according to an action plan that would eliminate these swarms. All concerned parties were keen to intensify their efforts to contribute to limiting their spread.
