Locust Plague invasion serious in Kenya and Ethiopia, says FAO*

12 Dec 2007 14:17:38 GMT
Source: IRIN

ADDIS ABABA, 12 December 2007 (IRIN) - The locust infestation remains
serious in northeast Kenya and southeast Ethiopia, according to the UN
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

"There have been new reports of infestations further west in both
countries," according to the FAO's Desert Locust Bulletin situation
update report of 11 December.

Swarms of locust, originating from Somalia, began to infest Kenya's
northeastern district of Mandera and some areas in the Somali region of
eastern Ethiopia at the end of November but have since moved to other
parts of the two countries.

"In Kenya, at least one mature swarm crossed the Ethiopian border into
Moyale district, west of Madera, where it was seen near Goda on November
30," the bulletin explained. "In Southeast Ethiopia, locust adults have
been seen flying in the Borena zone of Oromia region, which is west of
Ogaden and north of Kenya."

Lema Gebeyehu, head of the Crop Protection Division in the Ethiopian
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, confirmed to IRIN that
locusts covered 375 hectares of land in Yabello and Teltale of Borena zone.

"Large numbers of adult locusts were reported in the districts of
Moyale, Dire, Arero and Yabelo," the bulletin added.

According to experts, an average swarm consists of 40 million locusts
and a single locust can eat two grammes at a day.

"The locusts will not affect the crop in the area due to the dry
season," Lema said. "However, they will damage the pasture availability
in the area."

The Desert Locust Control Organization for Eastern Africa (DLCO) has
already begun a verification assessment in the two areas. "After
finalising the verification we will begin aerial control operations,"
said Abdurhaman Abdulahi, a senior research officer at DLCO.

He believed the locusts originally came from Somalia but "due to the
current situation in Somalia, it is not possible to conduct a control
operation there".

Abdurhaman said the adult locusts migrated from Somalia, laid their eggs
in Kenya and hatched the hoppers in five places in Mandera.

He added that such a locust infestation "had not been seen for the last
40 years". DCLO categorises locust infestations as calm, upsurge and
plague. This one had reached the "upsurge stage".

tw/mw