Countries in the Horn of Africa and Eastern Africa region are facing one of the worst Locusts invasion in a decade as Desert Locusts have been causing mayhem to agricultural plants, general vegetation and most worryingly, the aviation sector. Flights from Addis Ababa to regions such as Dire Dawa in Ethiopia have been severally canceled. Also, many international flights have been canceled to avoid major accidents as the swarms of locusts could cause majo damages to flights leading to crashes.
With the locusts migrating into Kenya, neighboring Rwanda is on a high alert. According to the Rwandan Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Geraldine Mukeshimana, the country is on high alert to tackle the possible invasion of locusts that have infested several countries in the East African region, including Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.
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According to her, locusts have not spread to Rwanda yet but, in case they do, the people should be ready to fight them as they did to the fall armyworm in the past few years.
Early in December last year, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned that desert locusts, which had hit first Ethiopia and Somalia would spread to other east Africa countries. The countries FAO said including Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya and South Sudan if early and sustained measures were not taken.
The locusts have damaged about 70,000 hectares of land in Somalia and neighboring Ethiopia, threatening food supplies in both countries and the livelihoods of farming communities, according to the FAO.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry