Laos, China and neigbouring countries discuss locust outbreak in Laos
High-level officials from Laos, China, Vietnam and Thailand have discussed cooperation efforts in the prevention and control of the yellow-spined bamboo locust outbreak in Laos. A consultation workshop on the management of the yellow-spined bamboo locust outbreak in Laos for 2017 took place on February 20 in Vientiane and was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr Bounkhouang Khambounheuang and FAO Representative for Laos, Mr Stephen Rudgard. Speaking at the workshop, Dr Bounkhouang noted that the yellow-spined bamboo locust outbreak in the region has been devastating for food crops over past years. The first outbreak of locusts occurred in 1929 in China before spreading to Yunnan province in 2012. There were locust outbreaks in 2008 and 2015 in Vietnam as well.
