• In addition, report says, a few of the swarms could move from Kenya to Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia.
• 'This represents an unprecedented threat to food security and livelihoods because it coincides with the beginning of the long rains and the planting season.'
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
The number of desert locusts in Kenya and other East African countries is likely to increase owing to the ongoing rains, a UN body has warned.
The Food and Agriculture Organization said widespread rains in the region will hamper efforts to control the pests.
However, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya on Tuesday told a media briefing that the government will have contained the locusts in many counties in the next two weeks.
He said swarms in Kitui and Tharaka Nithi counties have already been contained.
But in their forecast on desert locusts for March to mid-May, FAO says the rains could allow a dramatic increase in locust numbers.
“The current situation remains extremely alarming as hopper bands and an increasing number of new swarms are forming in Kenya, southern Ethiopia and Somalia,” the FAO report says.
In the report released on Saturday, FAO said although ground and aerial control operations were in progress, widespread rains experienced in March will allow new swarms to remain, mature and lay eggs.
In addition, a few swarms could move from Kenya to Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia.
“In May, the eggs will hatch into hoppers bands that will form new swarms in late June and July which coincides with the start of the long rains harvest. In March, numerous hopper bands continued to develop causing an increasing number of immature swarms to form and mature. Infestations were mainly in Turkana, Marsabit, Samburu, Isiolo, Laikipia, Meru and Embu counties,” the UN food agency said.
The report noted that this represents an unprecedented threat to food security and livelihoods because it coincides with the beginning of the long rains and the planting season.
Ground and aerial control operations have so far treated 15,278 hectares in February and another 3,968 hectares in March.
Agriculture PS Hamadi Boga told the Star on Monday that the 600 trained National Youth Service officers are in the field doing the control operations.
"The Covid-19 pandemic has not affected their work because they are moving with security officers. The services they are offering are some of the essential and crucial services that are still operational during the curfew hours," Boga said.
He said training of the 30 people to train other trainers will be completed this month.
"We have divided them into two groups. The first group was trained last week and the remaining one is currently being trained. All teams will support the government's effort to fight the desert locusts,” the PS said.
The fight against desert locusts started in December last year and about 31,595 litres of pesticides have been used. An additional 16,625 litres have already been ordered and will be delivered this month.
Edited by R.Wamochie