Millions of Farmers’ Lives in Africa Are at Risk from Locusts1 非洲數百萬農民的生存正面臨 蝗蟲的威脅

張祖平

Swarms of locusts have destroyed large areas of farmland and crops in Somalia， Kenya and Uganda. The locusts are spreading and could go to other countries. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization say swarms have been seen as far away as Oman in the Gulf. It is the worst locust invasion2 in 70 years.

The invasion affects over 12 million people. Many of these have little food due to poor harvests and no rain. The locusts will make things worse. Locusts are very hungry pests. One locust can eat crops of its body weight in 24 hours. A small swarm could eat crops enough to feed 35，000 people for a day.

A worried farmer said， “We depend a lot on this season and we worry that the locusts will destroy our harvest. We will end up...hungry through the rest of the year.”

成群的蝗蟲摧毀了索馬里、肯尼亞和烏干達的大片農田和莊稼。蝗蟲正在肆虐，可能會波及他國。聯合國糧食及農業組織表示，蝗群已經遠至波斯灣的阿曼。這是70年來最嚴重的一次蝗蟲侵襲。

這次蝗蟲侵襲影響了1200多萬人口。歉收和缺雨使許多人幾乎沒有糧食吃。蝗蟲會讓情況更糟。蝗蟲是食欲旺盛的害蟲。一只蝗蟲可以在24小時內吃掉和它體重相當的莊稼。一小群蝗蟲每天可以吃掉能養活35000人的莊稼。

一位憂心忡忡的農民說：“我們全靠這個季節，我們擔心蝗蟲會毀掉我們的收成。我們最終會……在今年剩下的時間里忍饑挨餓。”

【Notes】

1. locust [?????] n. 蝗蟲

2. invasion [?????] n. 入侵;侵襲

▲Discussion議一議：

1. What do you think of the locust invasion？ 你對蝗蟲侵襲這件事有什么看法？

2. What do you think is the best way to fight against locusts？你認為對付蝗蟲最好的方法是什么？

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