Desert Locust ‘re-invasion’ Threatens Millions Across Horn of Africa: FAO

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Desert Locust ‘re-invasion’ Threatens Millions Across Horn of Africa: FAO
Desert Locust ‘re-invasion’ Threatens Millions Across Horn of Africa: FAO

n style=”color: #ff6600;”>Africa-PressEthiopia. Addis Ababa, December 17/2020( ENA) New Desert Locust Swarms are forming in the Horn of Africa, threatening agriculture livelihoods and food security of the millions of people, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned on Wednesday.

According to the agency, locust infestations increased over the past month in Ethiopia and Somalia as a result of extensive breeding, favorable weather and rainfall, with populations predicted to increase further in the coming months.

“New locust swarms are already forming and threatening to re-invade northern Kenya and breeding is also underway on both sides of the Red Sea, posing a new threat to Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, the Sudan, and Yemen,” FAO said in anews release.

The Horn of Africa region witnessed one of its worst ever Desert Locust infestations, earlier this year.

A new crisis could have devastating consequences for communities affected by recurrent drought, conflict, high food prices, and the coronavirus pandemic FAO said.

The upsurge occurred in spite of an unprecedented campaign supported by FAO and partners, in which more than 1.3 million hectares of locust infestations were treated across ten countries this year.

Control operations prevented the loss of an estimated 2.7 million tonnes of cereal, enough to feed 18 million people a year, in countries already hard hit by acute food insecurity and poverty.

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu highlighted the achievements but warned that the “battle against the relentless pest is not yet over.”

“We must not waiver. Locusts keep growing day and night and risks are exacerbating food insecurity for vulnerable families across the affected region,” he added.

FAO, for its part, is assisting governments and partners with monitoring and coordination, technical advice and the procurement of supplies and equipment, the agency said.

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