Morocco donates Senegal 250,000 litres of pesticides and anti-locust equipment
Morocco-Senegal, Politics, 3/4/2005

Morocco donated Senegal 250,000 litres of pesticides and a batch of equipment to increase the West African country's capacity in the fight against locusts.

The donation was made this Thursday in the port of Dakar, in a ceremony chaired by king Mohammed VI, currently on a visit to Senegal and Senegalese president, Abdoulaye Wade. The equipment comprises of 4X4 vehicles fitted with communication and reception radio, protection kits and spraying pumps.

Moroccan agriculture, rural development and fisheries minister, Mohand Laenser, said locust invasion experiences by Morocco and Senegal since last fall have made it necessary to use considerable human, material and financial means that helped treat 5.6 million hectares, which accounts for more than half of the area of the locust-affected countries.

However, he warned that surviving locusts populations could trigger other attacks, urging for joining efforts and consolidating scientific research for a better knowledge of the pest and environment-friendly means to eradicate it.

He hailed in this regard the Moroccan king's decision to create a post-graduate department on locust studies for Moroccan and African students and the Senegalese president creation of an international research center in Dakar. The official also praised Moroccan-Senegalese cooperation as an example of south-couth cooperation, calling the international community to get more involved in the fight against locusts in the region.

Senegalese agriculture minister, Habib Sy, voiced gratefulness for the Moroccan donation which will make it possible to treat 250,000 hectares and for previous Moroccan initiatives which consisted in a donation of 31,000 litres of pesticides through the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, in addition to another batch of 117,000 litres of pesticides, a large capacity C130 aircraft.

Morocco's overall aid is estimated at US$ 1.59 million, he said.

This support, he went on to say, will benefit all of the sub-region countries which decided to set forth a coordination mechanism.

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