IGAD states to jointly combat desert locust

Desert Locusts invasion in Meru County [David Gichuru,Standard]

An eight-country trade bloc in Africa has resolved to establish an inter-regional coordination platform to deal with desert locusts wreaking havoc in many parts of the region.

In one of the resolutions after a two-day meeting in Mombasa, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) agreed to jointly combat the trans-boundary pests and vectors of disease.

Igad Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu said the desert locusts ravaging the region required jointly coordinated efforts to eliminate them and mitigate their effects. 

“It is a call up to the Igad secretariat to establish an inter-regional coordination platform for desert locusts and other trans-boundary pests and vectors of disease,” he said.

In late December 2019 desert locusts invaded Kenya from Somalia and Ethiopia and at the height of the infestation last year, 37 of the 47 counties had been affected.

Various parts, especially in the coast, eastern and central regions, were again invaded by the insects last November.

In January the Ministry of Agriculture claimed a degree of success in the war against the insects, saying 66 the 75 swarms that invaded the country had been eradicated.  

On Saturday, however, the Igad member State officials said the threat of the desert locust was still there and asked its secretariat to coordinate efforts to eradicate them and mitigate its effects.