Agriculture

Question by: 
Hon Andricus van der Westhuizen
Answered by: 
Hon Ivan Meyer
Question Number: 
2
Question Body: 

With reference to locust outbreaks:

 

  1. Whether any parts of the province have been affected by locust outbreaks during 2021; if so, what are the relevant details;

what precautions have been implemented in order to control possible outbreaks of locusts;

whether locust control officers require the permission of landowners in order to get access to locust swarms on private land; if so, (a) under what legislation is access obtained to private land and (b) what issues does this challenge pose for the control of locust swarms?

 

Answer Body: 

Migratory pests, like locusts, is a national mandate, as such, it is managed by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD).

  1. Yes, The entire Central Karoo District has been affected by locust outbreaks:

Beaufort West, Laingsburg, Murraysburg, Merweville, Prins Albert.

  • The District Locust Officers (DLO’s) and their teams have managed to control the initial outbreaks.
  • The locusts however are starting to fly, and this will pose additional challenges for the control teams.

 

          Note:

  • Understanding the various stages of the locust swarms are critical.
  • Brown locust occur naturally in the Karoo region of South Africa. They can occur singularly or gregariously.
  • The locusts lay eggs that are able to survive for long periods of drought, as has been the situation in the Central Karoo District.
  • Once it receives rain, as little as 15mm, the eggs hatch. These eggs become hoppers and thereafter they are able to swarm together and become migratory. It is at this migratory phase that these locust swarms cause significant damage and destruction.

 

  1. DALRRD trained and appointed District Locust Officers (DLO’s), control teams and farmers who are currently monitoring and reporting any sighting of locusts.

The DLO’s and control teams are spraying the hoppers in the areas where their presence has been reported.

A major risk is that control teams are not allowed to enter any of the SANPARKS areas due to it being a nature reserve. This poses a challenge as locusts within the SANPARKS go uncontrolled and are then able to fly out as swarms

    • It is anticipated that there will be large numbers of locust swarms, which will soon emanate from the Karoo National Park in Beaufort West.

The WCDoA is committed to support our farmers in preventing the spread of the locust swarms. WCDoA hosted training workshops in the Tankwa & Central Karoo.  WhatsApp groups were created that includes DLO’s, WCDoA district officials, Sub-programme Disaster Risk Reduction officials, PDMC and DALRRD officials. The WhatsApp group ensures a rapid response to any reported locust sightings. Our locust control teams then target these areas.

Locust control officers do not require the permission of landowners to access private property to control locust swarms. It is however, always good practice to work collaboration with landowners. This collective approach in dealing with locusts always produces better outcomes.

 

  1. Legislation: Agricultural Pests Act No 36, 1983:
  • Section 8: Powers of the Minister
  • Section 9: Powers of entry and investigation

Challenges/issues:

  • Locked gates and property poses a real problem for locust control officers, as any delays in controlling could have dire consequences.
      • It is best to control locusts during the hopper phase, when they cannot fly away.
      • Lifestyle farmers poses additional challenges as there are no people on the farm to alert officials of any locust sightings.
      • Often locusts on lifestyle farms are only sighted when they fly, which makes controlling them extremely difficult.
Date: 
Friday, December 10, 2021
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