This archive report was first published on 15 January 2020.
On January 15, 2020, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) sounded the alarm on a severe Desert Locust outbreak in East Africa, warning that it poses a significant threat to rural food security across the region.
IGAD Executive Secretary Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu called on Member States, the East African Community, and partners to join forces to prevent, control, and possibly eradicate the Desert Locust.
“IGAD calls on Member States, the East African Community, and partners to pull resources together to prevent, control, and possibly eradicate the Desert Locust threat to the food security of the region,” Dr. Gebeyehu said.
Dr. Gebeyehu emphasized the need for scaled-up prevention and control measures to contain the further spread of the Desert Locust, urging Member States to act urgently to avoid a food security crisis in the region.
He also called for increased ground surveillance for early detection, the use of wind forecasts to predict the trajectory of desert locust bands and swarms, and immediate regional mapping of the current invasion and forecast trajectory.
Dr. Gebeyehu urged countries to take aggressive targeted aerial and ground spraying and upscaling of aerial control operations to prevent the locust invasion from worsening the food security situation in the region.
IGAD also appealed to governments to use mass media, particularly radio, to disseminate and educate the public on early detection and reporting of the Desert Locust.
Dr. David Phiri, FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for Eastern Africa, warned that the locust invasion is exacerbating the existing dire food insecurity and malnutrition in the sub-region.
“The locust is making the bad food security situation worse in the sub-region, exacerbating the existing dire food insecurity and malnutrition in the sub-region,” Dr. Phiri said.
The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned that large immature swarms are spreading from the initial invasion areas of Mandera County, south to Wajir and Garissa, west along the Ethiopian border in Marsabit county, and southwest into central areas of Isiolo, Samburu, Meru, and Laikipia counties.
