Desert Locusts: Swarms, Impact, and Monitoring

This chapter examines the life cycle and behaviors of desert locusts, focusing on their transformation from solitary to swarming states following rainfall. It highlights the critical connection between locust invasions and food insecurity, particularly how these swarms affect children's growth and long-term health outcomes. Additionally, the chapter emphasizes the importance of effective monitoring systems for locust populations, presenting a cost-benefit analysis of investment in prevention strategies to mitigate the impacts of these outbreaks.