Locust swarms are invading the farms and food products in Somalia forcing the government to declare an emergency.
The government of Somalia has declared a state of emergency after a huge swarm of locusts spreads across East Africa.
‘….the insects are consuming a large vegetation, posing a great threat to the fragile food security in the country – said the Ministry of Agriculture.
If the situation is not taken control of before the harvest period from April, there may food shortages in the country as the insects are bound to destroy a larger portion.
UN reveals that the swarm is the largest in Somalia and East Africa in 25 years, whiles neighbouring Kenya has not seen a locust in 70 years.
However, Somalia is the first country to declare emergency over the infestation.
Somalia’s instability means planes cannot be use to spray insecticide onto the country from the sky.
In January, the FAO called for global assistance in battling the swarms in the Horn of Africa, notice that insect numbers over the locale could grow by 500 times by June.
The swarms spread into east Africa from Yemen across the Red Sea, after heavy rainfall in late 2019 created ideal conditions for the insects to flourish.
The swarms spread into east Africa from Yemen across the Red Sea, after heavy rainfall in late 2019 created ideal conditions for the insects to flourish.
Locusts can travel up to 150km (93 miles) in a day. Each adult insect can eat its own weight in food daily.
In December, a locust swarm forced a passenger plane off course in Ethiopia. Insects smashed into the engines, winds
