The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) warns that the locusts outbreak threatens food security in East Africa and the Horn of Africa region.
According to Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, IGAD Executive Secretary, the East African Community needs to pull up resources to prevent and control further spread of desert locusts.
Furthermore, Dr Gebeyehu opines that urgent control measures will avert a food security crisis across the region. In this case, the swarm of locusts has already crossed into the north-eastern region of Kenya after wrecking havoc in Somalia and Ethiopia.
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In addition, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warns that this is the worst locust invasion in 25 years.
Additionally, FAO says that the swarms can be up to one-kilometre-wide consisting of about 80 million locusts. FAO says that one immature swarm is 60 kilometers long and 40 kilometers wide
Peter Munya, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, says that three aircrafts will start aerial spraying today (Thursday 16/01) with four more aircrafts deployed for surveillance and tracking of the swarms.
Moreover, Munya revealed that Ksh230 million has been released to tackle the menace that has destroyed vast grazing lands in Isiolo county.
According to the Agriculture ministry, the locusts are in northern Mandera and Marsabit, eastern Wajir and Garissa, as well as central Isiolo, Samburu, Laikipia and Meru counties.
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