This archive report was first published on 5 May 2020.
Kenya's Locust Invasion: Government Efforts to Contain the Pests ¶
As the country grapples with COVID-19 and torrential rainfall, the government is working to contain the locust invasion that has been affecting various parts of the country.
According to Principal Secretary Hamadi Boga, the number of locust swarms has reduced significantly, with Samburu County initially having over 400 swarms but now having reduced to between three and six swarms.
Speaking during a Desert Locust media field visit in Isiolo last week, Prof. Boga explained that the government and other organizations have mobilized Sh.2.4 billion to contain the locusts, with Sh.39 million contributed by the government, Sh.500 million by the African Development Bank, and Sh.1.4 billion by the World Bank.
The cash is being spent on financing chemical procurement and maintaining six spraying aircrafts, vehicles, and personnel among other equipment used for the same.
Prof. Boga noted that the partners have so far deployed six spraying aircrafts – two from the Kenya Army, three from the Food and Agriculture Authority (FAO), and one from the Desert Locust Control Organization (DLCO) – to deal with counties where the pests are heavily concentrated, namely Isiolo, Marsabit, Turkana, Samburu, and some locations of Laikipia.
However, the activity is facing challenges, including heavy rainfall making it difficult for the spraying aircrafts and ground teams to operate, and delayed procurement of chemicals due to the spread of COVID-19 in countries such as Japan where the chemicals are being sourced.
Residents in affected areas have also expressed concerns, with Albert Lemasulani, a resident and community leader in Isiolo County, saying that the locusts have eaten up their vegetation, affecting their livestock, and prompting pastoralists to start migrating to other areas.
Isiolo County Governor Mohamed Kuti said that since December when the locusts' invasion was reported in the region, meaningful progress has been achieved, with the number of swarms that was initially being witnessed in December and January having reduced substantially.
He noted that the fight against the migratory pests has created an opportunity for the unemployed youth in the region, with youth being engaged to assist in tracing the whereabouts of the locusts and thus enable the active fight against the pests.
Assistant FAO Representative (Programmes), Hamisi Williams, said that in order for the fight against locusts to be sustained, both on-ground and in-air spraying, they have trained youth and deployed them on the ground to help in tracing the location of the locusts.
He explained that the youth have been equipped with smartphones with an application e-locust, and have also established six bases, Kilimo house, Isiolo, Garissa, Wajir, Lodwar, and Marsabit, and the information received from them is shared to all the stakeholders locally and internationally, mainly FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.
FAO has put in place a locust control centre at the Lewa Conservancy to convey data that is being collected from the locust-infested areas, and all the ground teams have been trained to use the E-locust 3M App.
Heath McRae, a desert locust specialist in charge of the locust control centre in Lewa, said that they have been using an e-locust system to collect data from the ground team and convey it to the aerial spray team to know the exact areas to target.
Published on May 5, 2020
