This archive report was first published on 10 January 2020.
Published on January 10, 2020, a study by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Icipe) revealed that eating locusts is good for the heart.
The study, conducted jointly by Icipe, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, and the United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, showed that meat from the desert locust contains a rich composition of compounds known as sterols, which have cholesterol-lowering properties.
Dr. Frank Kirera, a businessman in Isiolo Town, suggested that farmers in northern Kenya should be taught how to prepare locusts, saying, "We used to pluck their wings and fry them; they are very sweet."
Dr. Muo Kasina, the chairman of the Entomological Society of Kenya, urged farmers to eat the insects, saying, "One of the ways to control the swarms is to avoid chasing them away. We can allow them to settle and control them by eating them and spraying pesticides."
However, Dr. Kasina cautioned against eating sprayed insects, saying they would end up consuming the chemicals.
Dr. George Ongamo, who coordinates a desert locust management team, said the locusts entered the country on December 22.
