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Mr. Tedros noted that the adopted method of desert locust control in the country is a
chemical- based control method. This method has been practiced for a long time in all
the countries that are prone to desert locust breeding and infestations. A major problem
of this method is the harmful effects of the chemical to humans, animals and the
environment as well as the economic costs it requires. For this reason, the Ministry of
Agriculture (MoA) has been looking for alternative solutions to minimize chemical use.
Bio-pesticides and the harvest of locusts are considered viable options. An assignment
was given to a group of engineers at the MoA to develop a new method of controlling
locust invasions that could bring about positive economic, environmental and health
effects.
As part of the efforts to control damages caused by the invasion of desert locust
swarms, a group of engineers and plant protection experts from the MoA came up with
an innovative pilot project of engine-operated desert locust sucker. The sucker uses a
suction force, which is developed by an open impeller to suck the locusts while they are
either on the plant or on the ground. The “Desert- Locust Sucker” is mounted at the
back of the operator and can be used on locusts that are at different stages of their
growth. The engine rotates the impeller to develop a suction force to suck the locusts
along with the soil, and on the other side it blows air to remove the soil through the
small openings of the collection bag.
After prototype of the machine, the group conducted a trial on the breeding area of
locusts and came up with a concrete idea about the final design of the machine.
Engineer Abraham Habtemichael and Engineer Simon Kefela, members of the research
and development team of the Desert Locust Sucker project, said that at present
chemicals such as Emulsified Concentrate (EC) and Ultra Low Volume (ULV) are mostly
used in controlling hoppers and adult locusts. They said the MoA initiated the idea to
harvest locusts in the year 2020 to effectively utilise the locusts for economic and
nutritional purposes, and they were instructed by their senior supervisors to develop a
locust sucking machine.
“The main objective of the study is to develop a locust sucker which is suitable for the
end user of the machine in Eritrea and abroad,” they said. The machine is designed to
perform an efficient sucking and cleaning operation. It will also be easy to be maintained
and operated by the users.
The engine-operated sucker is made by converting a motorized knapsack mist blower.
The sucking force gently traps the locusts into a collection bag through the suction hose.
The impeller, which is enclosed in a separate housing, is attached to the 1HP SI engine
crank shaft. When the engine starts to run, it rotates the impeller to generate a suction
force throughout the flexible hose, and the machine starts to suck locusts. While the
engine is running, its speed is controlled by the operator until the sucking process is
completed. The impeller rotates at the desired speed to maintain a uniform suction. This
suction force can be adjusted for different sized locusts and has the sucking capacity of
five kilograms per minute in a 0.36meter square.
Airflow provided by the impeller picks up the locusts and soil together and delivers them
to the perforated collection bag. The impeller of the machine serves as a sucker and a
- 18 -
chemical- based control method. This method has been practiced for a long time in all
the countries that are prone to desert locust breeding and infestations. A major problem
of this method is the harmful effects of the chemical to humans, animals and the
environment as well as the economic costs it requires. For this reason, the Ministry of
Agriculture (MoA) has been looking for alternative solutions to minimize chemical use.
Bio-pesticides and the harvest of locusts are considered viable options. An assignment
was given to a group of engineers at the MoA to develop a new method of controlling
locust invasions that could bring about positive economic, environmental and health
effects.
As part of the efforts to control damages caused by the invasion of desert locust
swarms, a group of engineers and plant protection experts from the MoA came up with
an innovative pilot project of engine-operated desert locust sucker. The sucker uses a
suction force, which is developed by an open impeller to suck the locusts while they are
either on the plant or on the ground. The “Desert- Locust Sucker” is mounted at the
back of the operator and can be used on locusts that are at different stages of their
growth. The engine rotates the impeller to develop a suction force to suck the locusts
along with the soil, and on the other side it blows air to remove the soil through the
small openings of the collection bag.
After prototype of the machine, the group conducted a trial on the breeding area of
locusts and came up with a concrete idea about the final design of the machine.
Engineer Abraham Habtemichael and Engineer Simon Kefela, members of the research
and development team of the Desert Locust Sucker project, said that at present
chemicals such as Emulsified Concentrate (EC) and Ultra Low Volume (ULV) are mostly
used in controlling hoppers and adult locusts. They said the MoA initiated the idea to
harvest locusts in the year 2020 to effectively utilise the locusts for economic and
nutritional purposes, and they were instructed by their senior supervisors to develop a
locust sucking machine.
“The main objective of the study is to develop a locust sucker which is suitable for the
end user of the machine in Eritrea and abroad,” they said. The machine is designed to
perform an efficient sucking and cleaning operation. It will also be easy to be maintained
and operated by the users.
The engine-operated sucker is made by converting a motorized knapsack mist blower.
The sucking force gently traps the locusts into a collection bag through the suction hose.
The impeller, which is enclosed in a separate housing, is attached to the 1HP SI engine
crank shaft. When the engine starts to run, it rotates the impeller to generate a suction
force throughout the flexible hose, and the machine starts to suck locusts. While the
engine is running, its speed is controlled by the operator until the sucking process is
completed. The impeller rotates at the desired speed to maintain a uniform suction. This
suction force can be adjusted for different sized locusts and has the sucking capacity of
five kilograms per minute in a 0.36meter square.
Airflow provided by the impeller picks up the locusts and soil together and delivers them
to the perforated collection bag. The impeller of the machine serves as a sucker and a
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