Floods devastate locust harvest in Vhembe

It is summer in South Africa, and in the northern parts of Limpopo, it is mealie harvesting season.

But alongside maize, another seasonal harvest quietly takes place in rural communities — locusts.

However, recent heavy floods in parts of Limpopo have dealt a severe blow to informal locust harvesters in the Vhembe district, eroding breeding grounds and wiping out key collection areas that many rural families depend on for food and income.

Normally after good rains, we expect locusts. But these floods were too much. The water destroyed the areas where we collect. Now there is nothing to sell.

—  Rivhadali Kwinda, local harvester

In villages across Vhembe, locust harvesting is part of a small but active informal trade. While the market may be limited to specific communities, dried locusts are bought and sold locally, providing essential household income.

However, the recent flooding has disrupted this fragile ecosystem in Mapate village.

“Normally after good rains, we expect locusts,” local harvester Rivhadali Kwinda said.

“But these floods were too much. The water destroyed the areas where we collect. Now there is nothing to sell.”

The floods have left harvesters without supply for both the market and home consumption.

Locusts provide food and income

Locusts are rich in protein and are consumed in some rural communities as an affordable alternative to meat. Although commercial farmers often view them as destructive pests that damage maize, sorghum and wheat fields, for informal harvesters they represent both nutritional and economic opportunity.

Dried locusts are typically sold in traditional zinc cups or one-litre buckets, with prices varying depending on supply and location. A zinc cup of dried locusts can sell for between R120 and R200, while a one-litre bucket ranges from R300 to R350.

“We sell locusts at Thohoyandou market, especially dried ones,” said Kwinda. “It may look small, but it helps us buy groceries and pay for school needs. Now there is no supply because of the floods.”

For traders who rely on seasonal supply, the impact of flooding is immediate. Without harvesters bringing in fresh catches, dried stock runs out quickly and income stops just as fast.

How harvesting works

Locusts are mostly caught at night when they are less active and easier to collect. Kwinda explained that the insects rest on shrubs, plants and grasses after dark.

Other harvesters collect during the day.

Muofhe Muleya from Musunda village said she gathers locusts from shrubs and nearby fields before selling them in town several times a week.

Prices vary depending on the size of the container and demand.

Different types of locusts

Harvesters identify several types of locusts in the region. According to Kwinda, there are green, yellow and brown varieties, each appearing in different seasons.

“In Tshivenda we have the brown Done, the yellow Nzie-luvhele, commonly found during harvesting dry mealies, and the green Pfukaluhura, which appears when vegetation is green,” she said.

Why do locusts appear mostly in summer?

Experts explain that locusts are a type of grasshopper. Under warm temperatures and with wet soil after rains, solitary grasshoppers can transform into swarming locusts.

Dr Roger Price from pesticide science at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) said locusts form swarms.

“Dormant eggs in the soil hatch after the first rains. Nymphs grow in bands, and under the right conditions, they shift from solitary to gregarious behaviour, forming swarms that can move long distances,” Roger said.

This lifecycle explains why locusts typically increase in numbers during the summer rainy season between November and April, creating seasonal harvesting opportunities. However, excessive rainfall can destroy breeding grounds. Locusts lay their eggs in soil, and floods can erode the land and wash eggs away, potentially reducing future harvests.

Lowell Scarr, an insect farmer in the Eastern Cape, said locusts can be turned into high-protein animal feed or fertiliser.

“Although it can be a challenge to collect them, if one can grow them, they can be a solution rather than a burden,” he said, pointing to innovative practices in Kenya where locusts are processed into livestock feed and fertiliser.

Xolela Mzondi, ARC agricultural research technician, added that chemical-free harvesting preserves biological value.

“Locusts have good potential for use in fish, poultry, and even dairy feed,” she said, emphasising their role in human nutrition and sustainable farming.

Climate shocks threaten informal traders

Beyond the immediate danger, the floods have exposed how vulnerable informal traders are to climate shocks. Floodwaters have destroyed breeding sites, washed away collection zones and made access to fields difficult. Informal traders operate without storage facilities, insurance or financial buffers, making recovery slow and uncertain.

For many women-led households in Vhembe, locust harvesting provides seasonal income used for school fees, groceries and basic household needs. With weather patterns becoming increasingly erratic, traders now face both financial instability and heightened safety risks.

In January Thizwikoni Mahosi survived flooding when she, her two children and another group of harvesters were trapped by floods during harvesting. They had to be rescued by a helicopter.

For Mahosi, the trauma remains, but so does the economic reality that drives them back into the fields each season.

“We harvest because we need to survive,” she said.

• Mukurukuru Media