Working with various partners in the region, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has launched the first regional training programme for drone pilots dedicated to desert locust survey and control operations in North Africa and Middle East.
The programme forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen national and regional capacities in the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for control operations, enhancing the protection of agricultural resources and food security from the threat of Desert Locusts.
In this, the world food body is working with the Desert Locust Control Commission in the Central Region (CRC, whose member countries are Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia) and the Desert Locust Control Commission in the Western Region (CLCPRO; comprising Algeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Gambia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, and Tunisia), as well as the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources of the Sultanate of Oman.
Micron, a manufacturer of specialist sprayers and weed control equipment, also came on board as a technical partner.
Over five days at the end of January, participants received advanced technical and field-based instruction, including practical demonstrations on flight and ULV (ultra-low volume) spraying mechanisms and the use of sensitive cards to analyse droplet deposition accuracy.
The training also included hands‑on use of Ground Control Station (GCS) software, automated and manual flight‑path planning — including zigzag and corridor patterns — as well as calibration, filling and cleaning procedures for the Micron U16 spraying drone.
The participants also conducted simulated spray missions using water to reinforce field safety principles, along with training for pilots and ground crews on pre‑flight inspection protocols and spatial‑awareness practices.
The programme concluded with a final‑day evaluation exercise.
“This training marks a critical step in moving from pilot initiatives to full operational integration of drone technology in desert locust management,” said Dr Mamoon Al Sarai Al Alawi, Executive Secretary of the Desert Locust Control Commission in the Central Region.
“It will empower national teams with advanced technical skills, enhance operational safety, and ensure the effective and sustainable use of these tools in protecting crops, livelihoods, and food security.
“This marks the transition from pilot testing to full operational integration — empowering national teams, institutionalizing capacity development and ensuring the safe and sustainable use of UAS in support of food security and agricultural protection.”
The programme was implemented with technical and logistical support from specialized partners, enabling participants to develop advanced competencies in integrating UAS into Desert Locust management operations.
Locust outbreaks, specifically the Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria), have been a recurring catastrophic phenomenon in the Middle East, North Africa, and West Africa for centuries, with historical documentation dating back to ancient times and biblical accounts of plagues in Egypt.
The locusts thrive in arid environments, capitalising on rare, heavy rainfall to breed rapidly, forming massive, destructive swarms.
As of early this year, a serious outbreak is actively occurring, with the most critical situation in Northwest Africa (specifically Mauritania and Western Sahara), showing potential to spread to neighbouring Sahelian and North African countries.
This outbreak is driven by unusual rainfall that has triggered multiple generations of breeding, necessitating intensive control operations to prevent a full-scale plague.