This archive report was first published on 2 July 2020.
East Africa is facing its worst locust swarms in three generations, with the destructive pests threatening to devour crops and potentially costing the region $8.5 billion this year, according to the World Bank.
Researchers at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in Nairobi are working to find environmentally-friendly extermination methods, including the use of biopesticides and locusts as a food source.
One of the novel methods being explored is the use of scent to drive locusts to cannibalism. According to ICIPE scientist Baldwyn Torto, locusts have a unique smell that allows them to remain in a group, but this smell changes as they mature.
Disseminating the scent of an adult among the young can help destroy swarms, as the locusts become disoriented and cannibalize each other, making them more susceptible to biopesticides.
Another approach being taken is to consume locusts as a food source. ICIPE is developing nets and backpack-vacuums to capture large numbers of locusts, which can then be cooked or crushed into meal or oil suitable for animal feed or human consumption.
Researcher Chrysantus Tanga eats the insects himself and says they can be prepared in a variety of ways, including deep-fried with tartar sauce or skewered among vegetables in a kebab.
