East African countries better prepared, but desert locust threat ‘not over’
Action to control unprecedented desert locust infestations in the Horn of Africa last year has protected crops and livelihoods, but funding is needed to sustain operations against new incursions, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Tuesday.
The UN agency is seeking $38 million to continue work in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Sudan.
Without this support, 28 aircraft that patrol the skies to spot and spray swarms could be grounded as early as March.
No time for complacency
Dominique Burgeon, FAO’s Director of Emergencies and Resilience, said the huge desert locust swarms in 2020, some as wide as 60 kilometres, had not been seen in decades, threatening food security in a region where many were already going hungry.
The UN agency is seeking $38 million to continue work in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Sudan.
Without this support, 28 aircraft that patrol the skies to spot and spray swarms could be grounded as early as March.
No time for complacency
Dominique Burgeon, FAO’s Director of Emergencies and Resilience, said the huge desert locust swarms in 2020, some as wide as 60 kilometres, had not been seen in decades, threatening food security in a region where many were already going hungry.
Surveillance and response led to 1.6 million hectares of land being treated. As a result, more than three million tonnes of cereals, valued at approximately $940 million, were protected: enough to feed 21 million people for a year.