The government of Pakistan has decided to use the locusts as fertilizer for the crops by mixing it with animal waste.
According to media reports, the program, launched under the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, will provide financial assistance to locust-affected farmers.
These locusts and bio-waste will help make a fertilizer that contains 9% nitrogen and 7% phosphorus, both of which are very beneficial to agriculture.
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The government will soon host an experimental program in the deserts of Thar and Cholistan. Initially, the authorities will provide special training to farmers on locust catching.
In the later phase of the program, the government will set up more than 50 collection centers, where farmers can come and sell these locusts.
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Estimates suggest that 1 lakh tons of locust can generate 70 thousand tons of fertilizer, the current total mass of the grasshoppers worth 1 billion rupees.
According to the ministry, the program will increase the crop yield by 15% and decrease the use of other fertilizers to more than 25%. Under this program, a family may have an income of up to Rs. 6,000 per month.