Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) member states have been urged to act collectively to ensure total eradication of the desert locust. In a joint communique of the IGAD regional ministerial meeting on risk transfer and transboundary pest management, held recently in Nairobi, the regional body told member states to act collectively through IGAD and join forces with neighbours and relevant agencies including the Desert Locust Control Organization of Eastern Africa (DLCO-EA) towards the total eradication of this pest.
IGAD to share intelligence on the desert locust
Member states were also told to be proactive in sharing information and best practices to coordinate and build the necessary capacity in combating the locust menace to predict, monitor and control the spread of new swarms.
“Members States should also intensify awareness creation on Agricultural Insurance to increase uptake by small scale farmers and reduce losses. Sharing successful good practices will build confidence that insurance protects investments and livelihoods. Hence, Governments are called upon to support establishing a conducive environment for investments and private insurers’ participation,” said Mithika Linturi, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development told the regional meeting.
The Authority appealed to development partners to build the requisite financial, technical, and logistical capacities of IGAD member states, and support ongoing efforts to effectively fight the locust invasion.
Ministers, Heads of Delegations, and representatives of the Authority’s member states, comprised of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda, convened in Nairobi, Kenya, on 9th August 2023 to chart a path towards sustainable development.
IGAD committed to working with DLCO-EA and research institutions at national, regional, and international levels to conduct fundamental assessments and research on topics related to the surveillance and management of desert locusts and other transboundary pests.
The meeting also recommended IGAD, DLCO-EA, and FAO to collaborate, synergize their activities in combating desert locusts and other transboundary pests and provide technical support to member states to enhance their early warning systems.
IGAD through its Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) and the support provided by the Government of the United States of America and the World Bank, brought together delegates from the IGAD member states and partners to discuss and share their collective understanding of the region’s state of risk transfer mechanisms and transboundary pest management and affirm their shared commitment to promote proactive risk management.
Desert locusts are considered the world’s most destructive migratory pest. A single swarm can travel up to 90 miles a day, have 80 million locusts, and eat the same amount of food per day as 35,000 people.
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