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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said its operation against the desert locust will continue in all affected countries in East Africa amid swarming invasions in Kenya.
The FAO said Monday that immature swarms continue to migrate south from breeding areas in eastern Ethiopia and central Somalia to southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya, amid reports that some immature swarms have arrived. to the Mwanga district in northeastern Tanzania on January 8.
“In Kenya, immature swarms continue to arrive and spread across the north. So far, the swarms are present in four counties (Wajir, Garissa, Marsabit, and most recently Isiolo). Breeding continues and bands of grasshoppers are present in the southeast near Taita Taveta and along the coast, ”FAO said in its latest update on the desert locust situation.
In Ethiopia, the UN food agency said, swarms of immatures are gathering along the eastern side of the Harar Highlands in the Oromia region as they move into southern areas of the country, including the parts of the southern Rift Valley in the SNNP region.
According to the FAO, there are also transboundary movements near Jijiga and northwestern Somalia and along the southern border with Kenya ”.
All countries must maintain maximum efforts in carrying out the inspection and control operations necessary to reduce migration and reproduction, ”he said.
The FAO said mature swarms are present in northwestern Somalia and that reproduction is in progress on the coast where the grasshopper bands have formed. He said breeding continues in the northeast as well, where numerous bands of grasshoppers are concentrated between Iskushuban and Bosaso.
“Breeding may also be ongoing in other areas of the northern plateau that received heavy rains from Cyclone Gati,” FAO said. According to the UN agency, as conditions are dry in some areas where the swarms are reaching, they are expected to spread throughout southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya.
He warned that there is a moderate risk that a few swarms could reach central Kenya and perhaps southwest and northeast Tanzania, eastern Uganda and southeastern South Sudan during January.
“Once the swarms reach favorable areas, they will mature and lay eggs that will hatch and cause hopper bands to form during February and March,” FAO said.
