Pakistan

Infrastructure Support Project Focused on Pest Control, Inspection, and Management for Farmers in the Three Districts of KP Province Most Affected by Pest Damage (July 2020〜)

Background

In early 2020, various regions in Pakistan experienced serious pest damage. Especially in the D.I. Kahn District of KP Province and in the Tharparkar District of Sindh Province (as of September 2020, swarms of locusts infested the area and left significant damage), the extermination of pests was an urgent task. Furthermore, looking at the climate of the region, recurrent infestations are likely to occur. It was revealed that serious damage occurred even on pastures not included in the government’s extermination plan. For the most part, the livestock farmers that utilize these pastures practice grazing, and they rely on the grass found on the pasture as the main source of food for livestock. Therefore, due to the loss of the grass, the livestock experienced significant weight loss and became more susceptible to various diseases, which ultimately put the farmers in a vulnerable position.

Abstract

KWe worked to control crop damage for farms in the D.I. Kahn District of KP Province and in the Tharparkar District of Sindh Province by providing the necessary materials and equipment and introducing an early-warning mechanism1 against pests. Concurrently, through providing emergency aid for livestock farmers who suffered from pest damage, we worked to deliver foundational support to rebuild their lives that were lost due to the damage. Due to the migratory behavior of the locusts, we shifted our target area from the three districts in KP Province (Lakki Marwat, Tank, D.I. Kahn) to the two regions mentioned above.

Project Description

Distribution of required materials and equipment for pest control, and the implementation of joint pest control efforts
●Upon identifying beneficiaries, we organize groups for locust control and select target farmlands.
●We provide pest control training to locust control group members and government officials, distribute agricultural sprayers and protective gear (masks, gloves, glasses, and hats), and practice monitoring on-site pest monitoring trainings.
●We implement joint pest control efforts between the groups and local governmental officials on varying topographical regions.

Creation of early-warning mechanisms for pests, and reinforcement of the structure of monitoring and managing pest control efforts
●We provide training on early-warning mechanisms, and conduct practice for monitoring pest levels on the farmlands.
●In order to ensure sustainability of the practice after the completion of the project, we (our district coordination officers) gather information and work on succession in Locust Control Room of the local agricultural bureau.
●Upon sharing IEC (Information, Education, Communication) documents that covered all components of the project with authorized personnel and members of the LCG, we carry out awareness programs throughout the project.

Emergency assistance for livestock farmers that suffered from pest damage
●We establish our targets to be the two union councils (UC: towns) located in D.I. Kahn District and four UCs located in Tharparkar District that experienced the most pest damage. Further, we target livestock farmers who, due to the pest damage, have experienced poverty and are in need of urgent assistance.
●Simultaneously, we recruit three livestock assistants through cooperative efforts with the local livestock bureau. These three assistants (one in D.I. Kahn District and two in Tharparkar District) perform vaccinations for small-sized (20,500) and large-sized (4,100) livestock owned by 4,100 households in the target area.
Additionally, the assistants provide antiparasitic treatments for livestock that had experienced a deterioration of health due to the pest damage.
●We distribute livestock feed to each household in the target area. We also host awareness sessions on health management of livestock for farmers that experienced significant levels of pest damage.

Supplementary information on the early-warning mechanisms
Photos and information are sent to an FAO-conducted smartphone app, and the FAO uses that information, along with data on weather and geography and satellite data to analyze and evaluate the current situation. The app will then provide forecasts and present tentative warnings if needed, at most 6 weeks before any pest infestation incidents.
http://www.fao.org/japan/portal-sites/desert-locust/desert-locust-qa/en/