DMC International Imaging (DMCii) has been helping to monitor and tackle the locusts, alongside their colleagues at the Algerian Space Agency (ASAL) in coordination with the National Institute for Plant protection (INPV).
DMCii’s 22m resolution, multispectral satellite images can help to predict the location of the locusts’ breeding grounds accurately, where the swarms have been and where they are most likely to head towards.
A satellite imagery campaign, beginning before the summer months, assessed the condition of the vegetation, this was then analysed alongside weather forecasts to create locust forecasts and focus the application of pesticides to prevent the spread of swarms.
The images below were captured by the DMC constellation UK-DMC 2 satellite on the 26th September. The red is healthy green vegetation, which allows DMCii to work alongside ASAL to track the locust plague’s movements.
Each swarm can contain billions of locusts, and each one can eat its weight in food every day. This makes for a devastating effect on crops, as they can strip whole fields in minutes.
Dave Hodgson, the Managing Director of DMCii, said: “Food security is an ongoing effort for DMCii and tackling locust plagues in Algeria with our colleagues at ASAL is one way we can use our satellite imagery for benefit of the people on the ground.”
Source DMCii