Mauritania is facing a concentrated desert locust outbreak in several western and northern regions, prompting intensified surveillance and control operations as ecological conditions continue to favor breeding. While the current wave of activity remains primarily confined to Mauritania, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns that neighboring countries could see incoming adult groups or small swarms if control measures falter or weather patterns shift.
Confirmed infestations are focused in Inchiri in the west, Dakhlet Nouadhibou in the north, and Trarza in the southwest. According to FAO reporting, the situation escalated in October when adult locust groups migrated and bred across an 800-kilometer stretch of western Mauritania. A second breeding cycle soon followed, producing new hopper groups and early-stage bands—an indication that populations can increase rapidly if left untreated.
FAO’s latest assessments note that ecological conditions across western Mauritania remain favorable for continued breeding. Moist soils, green vegetation, and residual rainfall patterns have created an environment conducive to both hopper development and the formation of new adult groups.
While Mauritania is currently the main hotspot, regional monitoring has expanded as a precaution. FAO Locust Watch indicates that adult groups and small swarms may appear in other countries including Mali, Niger, Chad, Algeria, and Morocco. These are forecast risks rather than confirmed outbreaks. Whether locusts reach these areas will depend on wind patterns, vegetation availability, and the effectiveness of Mauritania’s control operations during the coming weeks.
Desert locusts pose a particularly serious threat because of their mobility and feeding capacity. Swarms can travel up to 150 kilometers a day and consume vast quantities of crops and pasture, undermining food security, damaging livelihoods, and straining already fragile agropastoral systems. Analysts note that Mauritania’s current outbreak comes at a sensitive moment for farmers and herders preparing for the next agricultural cycle.
The outlook remains contingent on environmental conditions. If favorable weather persists, Mauritania could see more hopper bands forming before they mature into mobile adults. FAO stresses that early detection and rapid response are essential to prevent localized breeding from expanding into larger regional incursions.
As efforts intensify, officials across the Sahel and Maghreb continue to coordinate surveillance to reduce the risk of cross-border spread. The next several weeks will be critical in determining whether Mauritania can contain the outbreak before it evolves into a broader regional challenge.
