Pest outbreaks – This scourge involving families and tens of millions of grasshoppers has returned regularly with each harvest for three years.
These swarms of pests destroy whole hectares of crops in a few minutes, mainly maize, the staple food of rural families in East Sumba. Really, in ten minutes, an entire one-hectare field of corn is reduced to nothing. Everything is eaten right down to the ground.
What is this image gallery about? In East Sumba, for several months now (and for years), grasshoppers have been destroying all crops, vegetable gardens, soybeans, and corn. For three years, it has come back regularly. They feed and severely damage almost all crops, trees, shrubs, and vegetable gardens during high population. We are in contact with the most affected populations who tell us how the fruit of their work and garden are destroyed in a few minutes. The impact is enormous for these poor families since their income is insufficient to buy food. Rice, in particular, is expensive. Therefore corn harvests are significant and vital for families. Thank you so much for your interest Kawan.
