Desert Locust Monitoring and Loss Assessment in Somalia, Saudi Arabia and Yemen (March 2025)

The Earth Big Data Project's "Asian-African Desert Locust Monitoring and Assessment" working group utilized MODIS satellite data from the United States, combined with meteorological data, survey data, and pest forecasting models, to conduct continuous desert locust monitoring and assessment through digital Earth science platform's big data analysis. This study focused on updating the desert locust situation in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. Remote sensing monitoring shows that desert locusts are mainly distributed in northern coastal areas, causing significant damage to farmland, grassland, and shrubland. Over the next two months, locust populations in these regions are expected to change due to climate variations, suggesting continued monitoring to reduce agricultural losses. In March 2025, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen showed different trends in desert locust expansion. Somalia experienced reduced locust numbers due to low rainfall, with populations mainly concentrated in the northern coastal areas and adjacent highlands; Saudi Arabia saw increased inland rainfall, leading to locusts migrating inland and growing in numbers; Yemen's improved rainfall conditions and good vegetation growth favored locust breeding, resulting in a slight increase in locust populations. The desert locust situation in these three countries will continue to develop over the next two months, requiring close monitoring for agricultural production.