Afghanistan's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has expressed its gratitude to India for donating 40,000 litres of Malathion, a pesticide that combats locusts.
The 40,000 litres of the malathion insecticide were delivered in two trucks and formally turned over to the Taliban*-run Afghan government's Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock.
Malathion is regarded as a crucial tool for managing locusts due to its efficacy in dry environments and minimal water usage. Besides combating the immediate threat in Afghanistan, this assistance aims to prevent the spread of locusts to neighboring Central Asian countries. The Taliban Ministry of Agriculture has previously expressed their gratitude to India for providing aid via the Chabahar port.
The Taliban Ministry of Agriculture had previously expressed its gratitude for India's assistance through the Chabahar port.
Beyond safeguarding Afghan crops, this assistance plays a pivotal role in preventing the spread of locusts to neighbouring Central Asian nations, notably Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
Locusts are notorious for their ability to seriously endanger food security due to their ravenous appetite and the extensive damage they can cause to vegetation.
Early in 2020, Pakistan declared a national emergency due to the locust threat, which was at its worst.
That said, large-scale locust incursions were also observed in several of India's states, among them, Rajasthan, Gujarat, some areas of Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
*under UN sanctions