December 19, 2019

Anna Murray 

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported on December 18 that Somalia suffered the worst desert locust outbreak in over 25 years. The FAO's Desert Locust Information Service estimated about 70,000 hectares (700 square kilometers) of land in Ethiopia and Somalia had been infested by locust. According to the FAO, the locust infestations have extended to grassland and rangeland areas in Galmudug, Puntland and Somaliland. In Ethiopia, they have spread over 430 square kilometers and have already damaged crops and pastures in about 1.3 million metric tons of vegetation in two months.

So far, the locust has invaded thousands of hectares of land in Somali’s autonomous regions including Galmudug, Puntland and Somaliland. Most likely locust would spread to main crop growing areas in southern Somalia.

The UN warns the desert locust outbreak in Somalia means vulnerable East Africa on the brink of imminent food crisis. East Africa apparently is facing harsh challenges in the fight against the disastrous consequences of vast breeding from desert locust. The FAO called for immediate funding to control the generation of locust breeding.

Photo:Webshot.