This archive report was first published on 22 May 2020.
On Thursday, the World Bank approved a $43 million (Ksh4.5 billion) loan to Kenya to aid in the fight against locust swarms that are ravaging crops in Eastern Africa.
The loan, which comes with a 30-year repayment period and a five-year grace period, is part of a larger $129.5 million package to four countries in the region, including Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Uganda.
Locust numbers exploded late last year, fueled by unusual weather patterns exacerbated by climate change, and the swarms have spread eastwards from Yemen, with Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia being the hardest hit.
According to World Bank Country Director for Kenya Felipe Jaramillo, immediate intervention is necessary to prevent a deterioration in food security towards the end of 2020 and a possible rise in food prices.
“Without immediate intervention, the locust attack could lead to a deterioration in food security towards the end of 2020 and possible rise in food prices,” Jaramillo said.
The loan will be used for surveillance and the purchase of pesticides to combat the locust swarms.
Published on May 22, 2020, at 13:22:24 UTC.
