People are always asking me about the locust situation in Niger, and as I came upon some information the other day, I thought I might as well share.
According to FAO's report, locusts this year are not a major threat.
The situation remained calm in the region during May. Isolated solitarious adults were reported in southeast Niger. Small-scale breeding will commence with the onset of the seasonal rains in Niger, causing locust numbers to increase slightly.So there you have it; no exceptional damage anticipated this year when it comes to these little rascals, although I must remind you that they are ALWAYS part of the nature of things down there. And they DO eat crops, so cultivating your own Eden trees is a good tip because locusts are more into leaves than fruits.
Looking forward to getting back there!
Ishtar
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8 comments:
Wow..locust forecast that must be a toughie.
Hmmm, I've never seen a locust before. I've been pressured into eating them once though... :-D
Argh!!! You have my sympathies, Azuka! Actually, it's one of the few culinary experiences I've managed to avoid in my life. I've tried a few so called delicacies (fried intestines is another Nigerien favorite...) but I've never managed to get myself to bite off the head of a locust. So do tell me, what was the culinary experience like???
Hot red peppers with locusts is a treat. I haven't tried them anytime since then though...-
Azuka, you write that hot red peppers with locusts is a treat, but there you make an interesting point: it's not the locusts that are eaten with hot red peppers, but hot red peppers which are eaten locusts!
The pepper in Niger is REALLY, REALLY hot, which removes about 150% of the taste to someone with an unaccustomed stomach... Question is then: what does grilled locusts really taste like - without the hot red pepper powder?
A little less tasty than termites, heh heh!
The strange things I eat.
I have never been offered termites during my twenty something years in Africa, but I must confess that the thought of eating them as actually never crossed my mind before! You certainly widen my view, Azuka! Anything more I should be aware of?
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