The northern Baghlan province of Afghanistan is facing a locust invasion, prompting Taliban officials in the province to initiate a campaign against the destructive insects in coordination with local farmers.
The head of the Plant Protection Department in the Baghlan Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Sharifullah Hazem, revealed that the campaign is being implemented in vulnerable areas with the active participation of farmers.
Reports from the region indicate that the campaign is underway in districts such as Baghlan-Markazi, Doshi, Nahrin, Dahan-e-Ghori, and the provincial capital, Pul-e-Khomri. Local farmers like Juma Khan have confirmed their active participation in fighting the locusts by raiding the areas where the insects gather and destroying them.
According to agriculture expert Habibullah, locusts attack fields in groups and fly back to their breeding grounds to lay eggs. He attributes the current locust outbreak to the lack of effective measures against them in previous years.
Afghanistan is experiencing its third year of drought. Along with drought and sudden floods, locusts are other pests that target agricultural products in different provinces.
