Nepal offers locust bounty as swarms threaten crops by Staff Writers Kathmandu (AFP) June 30, 2020 Nepal is offering farmers cash rewards for catching desert locusts to limit the damage caused by the destructive swarms that have ravaged harvests in India and Pakistan. South Asia is experiencing its worst infestation in decades, with the plague of locusts devastating agricultural heartlands and are now entering Nepal. "Our decision is aimed at encouraging people to catch the insects instead of using pesticides which might be harmful to the environment," agriculture ministry spokesman Khagendra Prasad Sharma, who handles the Far West Province, told AFP. Farmers and other locals in two provinces that have already been invaded this week will be offered up to 25 rupees (21 US cents) for every kilogramme (2.2 pounds) of the insects. The locusts are caught using huge mosquito nets that block their flight. They are also more easily caught at night when they are resting. The migratory pests are then swept into large bags and brought to officials. In the past three days, some 10 kilogrammes of locusts have been collected in the southern city of Butwal, province official Yam Narayan Devkota said. "They are being collected in other areas too. Depending on the volume, they might be used as feed for chicken and livestock," Devkota added. Locust swarms have gnawed their way through crops across East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and parts of India this year, and experts fear their numbers will explode as monsoon rains arrive this month. In Pakistan, farmers are catching locusts to sell to officials -- with the pests then turned into chicken feed -- in a bid to offset the huge losses caused by the swarms. Nepal's agriculture ministry said that so far, the swarms have yet to swell to huge numbers and there have been no major crop losses.
China dog meat festival goes ahead but virus takes a toll Beijing (AFP) June 23, 2020 Volunteers at a Beijing dog shelter hand out treats to dozens of rescued animals which had been bound for a controversial dog meat festival under way this week in southern China. The annual event in Yulin city always provokes outrage from animal rights activists, but this year they hope the coronavirus epidemic will be the death knell of a tradition they see as cruel. It is "inhumane and barbaric", said Jeffrey Beri, founder of the No Dogs Left Behind organisation, which keeps around 200 canine ... read more
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |