"It was like a storm," Gatiba, 45, said by telephone. "It was like hail. They covered everywhere. Even there was no sun." That was three months ago. Although Gatiba said he was lucky that the damage from the insects was minimal, he fears that the outbreak that has plagued swaths of Africa, the Middle East and Asia for the past two years will return to ravage his maize and bean crops.
As the pests begin to migrate again in the second half of June, experts warn that, without continuous aid to mitigate the spread, the devastation could leave millions of people in at least 23 countries hungry by the end of the year. "There is nothing we can do. They are not here, but they might come," Gatiba said. The loss of his crops could leave him, his wife and their four children struggling. "I'm very worried," he said. -Full Report
More than 58,000 ha (143,000 acres) of rice damaged as 'worst' drought in history hits Mekong Delta
