China and UK send help to Pakistan to tackle the devastating desert locust swarms
As huge swarms of locusts continue to ravage fields and destroy, Pakistan has received help from China and the United Kingdom (UK) to help tackle the crisis.
In Pakistan, National Locust Control Center along with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and district administrations are working in collaboration to control the locust attack with aerial spraying.
Chinese companies offer drones and support to build locally
A Chinese company Shenzhen Sunwin Intelligent Ltd. has donated 5 industrial Unmanned Aerial vehicles (UAVs) to NDMA to combat COVID-19 and locust plague in the country. “China stands firmly with Pakistan in difficult times and ensured support on all fronts,” the Chinese officials said.
A leading Chinese company has also expressed willingness to set up an industrial unit in Pakistan to manufacture drones to protect crops and control locust.
“We will not only support our iron brother in locust eradication but also to help it build its own rapid disaster response capabilities, so that when it encounters various emergencies, it can produce, assemble and respond quickly,” Du Jixiang, Chief Engineer, Beijing Andun Equipment Co. Ltd said.
“From factory construction, production, assembly, after-sales to personnel training, we can provide a full set of technical support to help Pakistan set up a drone manufacturing industry to quickly respond to various types of disasters,” he added.
China extended the financial help of USD4.9 million to Pakistan by giving it 53,000 liters of spray, sprayers and drones, according to Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Syed Fakhar Imam.
UK locust sprayers arrive in Pakistan
Pakistan has also received first 20 of 50 sprayers as part of a UK aid package of £1m to support Pakistan government. The fund will ensure:
- 50 sprayers to be sent to control locusts and help to ensure food security
- 1,300 PPE kits help ensure surveillance and control operations continue safely through the coronavirus pandemic
- Help 18,000 vulnerable farmers
The British High Commissioner to Pakistan handed over the UK sprayers in Islamabad to H.E. Syed Fakhr Imam, Federal Secretary, Mr. Omar Hamid Khan from the Ministry of National Food Security and Research. Mina Dowlatchahi, Country Representative of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, alongside DFID Pakistan Director Annabel Gerry, also attended the ceremony.
Dr Christian Turner CMG, British High Commissioner to Pakistan, said:
Make no mistake, this locust outbreak is a big challenge. That is why the UK, through aid to FAO, has worked to ensure these UK-manufactured crop sprayers get to Pakistan as soon as possible.
The sprayers are from the UK-based company, Micron Sprayers Ltd, which has over 50 years of industry experience, and its products are used in over a hundred countries. The company is also working on a separate agreement to supply 83 sprayers to NDMA.