Follow Up SDG 2: Pests and food security (Year 5 – Year 8)

–        Have you ever watched the animated film Prince of Egypt? Are you familiar with the 10 plagues as narrated in the Bible?

–        You can watch this short clip from the film to refresh your memory:

–        At exactly 1:18 up till 1:24 a particular pest is mentioned. What is this pest and what harm does it cause?

–        Unfortunately last January 2020 large swarms of this insect has descended on the plains of Africa and devoured everything in sight.

–        They have destroyed all the harvest and eaten all the crops that were being grown by the locals. Now they have very little to eat or sell to earn money and live decently.

–        Watch this video to learn more about the problem.

–        Look at this picture with the locusts  and find out how much food these swarms of locusts eat each day.

–        Do you think the biological pesticides sprayed will be enough to control the locusts?

–        What else can be done besides spraying?

–        Can you carry out some research online to find other ways scientists are considering to try and control the increase in locust numbers?

–        What about the people that have lost their crops? They are running out of food? How can these be helped? Who should help them?

–        Most of the airports have been closed and aeroplanes grounded because of COVID-19. So do you think that aeroplanes can still fly to these countries with food supplements?

–        EU mobilises €10 million more to respond to severe Desert Locust outbreak in East Africa

–        Do you think this help is enough?

–        Can we as citizens of Malta be of any help in these circumstances? How?