The Australian plague locust—risk and response

Abstract

Locust plagues are natural hazards that have been historically regarded as disasters because of their impact on agricultural production. In Australia, during the 19th and early 20th centuries, the impacts of locusts led to significant hardships among farmers struggling to establish viable individual livelihoods. The use of pesticides for locust control, the establishment, during 1970s, of coordinated response arrangements, and general economic development have significantly mitigated the monetary and social impact of plagues. The main risk for locust management, as elsewhere, continues to be of control failure, which in today's Australia would lead to major economic losses rather than a humanitarian emergency. However, there is also significant concern about unnecessary interventions, contamination of nontarget crops and livestock, effects on natural ecosystems, and injuries and health hazards for both control staff and the general public. Establishment of a national specific-purpose locust-control organization with formal links to regional stakeholders and expert staff in continuing positions has allowed development of appropriate and effective responses to these risks. Defined operating procedures, which recognize that mitigating the secondary risks of locust control is as important as reducing the impact of the locust plagues themselves, have been formally adopted. Technological developments, changing agricultural practices and societal expectations, and a warming climate—with the likelihood of altered rainfall patterns—all require continuing review of practices and priorities, supported where necessary by appropriate research.