November 25, 2020

Andrew Campbell 

The Horn of Africa is a region of eastern Africa and home to the 4 countries of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Their cultures have been linked throughout history. On November 24, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned that the Horn of Africa has suffered the desert locust crisis since early this year and is threatened by the loss of food supplies for millions of people. 

Worries started while cyclone Gati first formed from November 17 to 21 in the Indian Ocean and touched down on November 22 near Xaafuun and the northern tip of northeast Somalia. This strongest storm on record in Somalia brought rainfall along the coast of northern Somalia and Berbera near the Gulf of Aden. Experts fear cyclone Gati may allow desert locust swarms to lay eggs in current breeding areas and spread out across regions in the Horn of Africa. Thus, FAO also warned the desert locust crisis could re-escalate accordingly as mature swarms invading from Somalia into Kenya. 

Under such circumstances, recently researchers at the University of Leicester have undertaken a genetic study in deciphering the desert locust. The game-changing study will help to develop intelligent pesticides to combat the desert locust crisis. Such pesticides will alter the nervous system of desert locusts, either disable or terminate their swarming behavior. It is hoped to stop the notorious insect which keeps haunting the Horn of Africa and many other countries.

Photo:Webshot.