the band of savannah and scrubland running across the region south of the Sahara desert. Officials in Mauritania have warned that some regions could lose their entire crop and that livestock could also be affected as their food supplies dwindle. "With the means we have I don't think we'll get on top of this scourge. The cycle reproduces itself in such an incredible way. You get the impression you're going round in circles," said Zakaria Yall, governor of the eastern Hodh El Gharbi region. Agriculture experts meeting in Dakar this week warned West Africa may lose up to a quarter of its grain harvest this year if the infestation is not brought under control, with Mauritania, Senegal, Mali and Niger the worst affected. But they said food security did not appear to be a problem at the moment, with the price of millet below the average for the past five years, making it accessible to most consumers.
