This archive report was first published on 5 August 2020.
August 5, 2020
Kenya has made significant strides in combating the desert locust infestation, with the number of affected counties dwindling to just two, down from 29 at the beginning of the year.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Kenya has successfully contained the locust upsurge, at least for now. However, the UN agency warns that the region remains at risk of a new upsurge occurring later in the year, especially with new swarms coming from the Middle East.
FAO noted that the efforts of the organisation, its partners, and East African governments in building capacity to fight the locusts have been instrumental in bringing the situation under control.
Over the last six months, different mechanisms, including overhead spraying, have killed about 500 billion locusts. The desert locust invasion has resulted in a major threat to food security across East Africa, as well as parts of Asia and the Middle East.
While Kenya has made significant progress in fighting the locusts, the threat of food insecurity persists due to the damage caused by the locusts on food and pastures. FAO warns that more people in Kenya and the region will be food insecure due to the damage caused by the locusts.
