She said that food security and livelihoods of 13 million people are at stake. That’s 60 percent of the population.

The Food and Agriculture Organization said the 22 million dollars is needed now so a locust control program can be in place by September. That’s when the next cropping season begins. A complete three-year program -- to bring the locusts into what’s called a recession -- will cost more than 41-million dollars.

“If untreated, it could last for several years and be more and more important,” she said.

Regular control programs, she said, easily could have prevented the plague from ever happening. Despite a problem that’s now literally of biblical proportions, Monard said donors have been slow to respond.

“I think because the world is not so rich. There are a lot of other priorities. Also I think the current political situation in Madagascar is a bit difficult to assess for the donors and they could be a bit reluctant to invest. Yes, the plague will be stopped, of course. But after that, will the government be able to maintain a locust preventive strategy? So that is also a question that donors have.”

Madagascar has been in a political deadlock for the past four years as rivals battle for the presidency. Elections, which had been scheduled for July 24th, have been postponed until August 23rd. The United States has called on leaders to return the country to true democratic rule through free and fair elections.