Locust control project

The project was highly successful in protecting Moroccan crops and livestock in a safe manner, and is commendable for its quality and effectiveness. Despite initial concerns, no significant damage to crops or livestock occurred as a result of project activities, and no reports of serious harm to human health or the environment were registered. The project fully attained its four major outputs: enhanced capacity to control desert locusts through aerial spraying; improved strategic planning and tactics of control; improved efficiency of operations; and improved Government of Morocco (GOM) capacity for management and monitoring of the environmental, safety, and health aspects of control operations. The evaluation team accorded both USAID/M and A.I.D./W high marks for responsiveness, a view seconded by Moroccan officials. The team was also impressed with the GOM"s locust control organizational structure, which it found to be comprehensive, well-coordinated, and disciplined, noting that the Moroccan expertise constituted a valuable regional resource and that the organizational structure could serve as a model for other efforts. The team also found heightened environmental awareness at all levels of the GOM to be an important result of the project. One special concern was that of pesticide management and disposal; options for dealing with pesticide residuals are presented in the report. In terms of economics, the team found it difficult to calculate accurate per ha costs, but estimated that total costs were in the range of $19-20 per ha. Even more difficult was estimation of project benefits. According to the report, the figures and assumptions in the Project Paper"s economic analysis were highly problematic, but, based on the fact that agricultural production in southern Morocco actually increased during the desert locust invasion, significant losses were avoided and significant economic benefits realized. For further information, see the abstract of PD-ABE-180. (Author abstract, modified)