LOCUSTS PLAGUE BOLIVIA, TRIGGER STATE OF EMERGENCY|氣候變遷效應? 玻利維亞蝗蟲肆虐毀農作

In other news, Bolivian farmers and government officials are fighting a locust plague threatening corn and sorghum harvests. The timing of the plague was rather inopportune as the country's agricultural areas were just starting to recover from the worst drought in a quarter century. The Government has declared a state of emergency in the region and has begun to fumigate farmlands and provide farmers with access to pesticides. Locusts have invaded the southern Bolivian province of Santa Cruz, damaging over 1,000 hectares of maize and sorghum crops, as well as pasture for cattle, but authorities said they were well prepared to fight the pests. The locusts were first reported in January. Their destructive power stems from their gregarious nature that allows them to move in swarms, eating whatever vegetation they find in the path. The last locust invasion took place about 25 years ago in the productive areas of Santa Cruz. Neighbouring Argentina has suffered with them since the 1920s. The Bolivian government has set up a new unit to deal with the challenge and asked the Argentine government to provide expertise and advice. ==EVO MORALES Bolivian President== I asked some experts, 'why and where' (they came from). Some told me it's because of the drought and that they first came from Argentina, from northern Argentina. So, maybe global climate change is having a lot of effects. The government and local farmers in Santa Cruz said they plan to fumigate up to 17,000 hectares to prevent the locusts from spreading and endangering the food supply. Local producers were desperately trying to identify where the eggs and locust nymphs were so that they could control the initial stages of the plague more effectively. Bolivia is normally self-sufficient in grain production, and for the moment the area affected by locusts represents only a small fraction of the 100,000 hectares planted with grains in Santa Cruz. ==BOLIVIAN FARMER== All the production was destroyed. More than anything, these bugs eat during the day and night. Santa Cruz is one of Bolivia's wealthiest areas, producers have lobbied the government for years to allow the use of genetically-modified seeds which they say will help produce crops that are resistant to plagues and adverse climate conditions. TRANSLATED BY：JESSICA OY