Africa Combats Locust Outbreak Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic Crisis

Three months ago, Michael Gatiba's 10-acre farm in Nakuru County in Kenya saw a stunning storm-like attack from millions of desert locusts. Gatiba described the attack like hail, as the insects have covered the sky, and the sun was no longer seen.

But Gatiba says he was still lucky that the damage the insects caused was only minimal. He fears that the outbreak that has plagued different countries, including Africa, the Middle East, and Asia for two years, will come back to ravage his corn and bean crops.

As the locusts begin to migrate again during the second half of June, scientists warn that the damage could leave millions of people in at least 23 countries hungry by the end of 2020, if there is no continuous aid to stop its spread.

The Worst Transboundary Pest in the World

Desert locusts are from the grasshopper family, a migratory pest, and have a lifespan of three months, which can multiply for up to twentyfold under the right conditions. They mature to behave as a coherent unit, creating large swarms that attack on green vegetation, says the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO.

According to experts, locusts reached a scale like no other have seen before in decades because of the perfect storm of favorable weather, inadequate monitoring, and challenges in getting access to resources and regions.

The locusts have been feasting and reproducing in Kenya, as well as in countries of Ethiopia, Somalia, and Djibouti. The insects are expected to begin another move because of the changing winds by the end of June, with some of them are bound for Sudan.

Melissa Williams, a senior rural development specialist for the World Bank, is also concerned that the locusts could move even further into West Africa, threatening some of the world's poorest countries.

Meanwhile, locusts have already feasted in Pakistan and India in recent weeks, especially in Punjab and Sindh provinces, and experts believe that they could cycle through the region.

"This is the worst transboundary pest in the world," Williams said. "They don't need passports, so they'll just keep going."

Still, international groups and local governments have made significant progress in addressing the locust surge in Africa. As of present, FAO reported that they have already killed about 450 million insects at the beginning of the year.

Spraying pesticides can help control desert locusts

Spraying pesticides remains the most effective way of controlling the population of the desert locusts. Countries accustomed to them, such as Sudan and Eritrea, have strong programs to keep the locust populations at bay.

However, some remote areas of the Arabian Peninsula in 2018 were not implementing monitoring and spraying, notably in Yemen, following full-year rain, including two cyclones from the Indian Ocean that created lush vegetation in which locusts could grow and thrive.

Moreover, launching campaigns in peaceful jurisdiction was not instantaneous. Many countries now being hit by swarms of locusts do not have the expertise to deal with them since they have not seen anything like this.

As officials are scrambling to respond to the swarms, the coronavirus pandemic proves to be another barrier that they must overcome. Luckily, experts and equipment were brought in just before borders are closed. Plus, FAO has strategically procured resources in batches in case shipments are delayed.

Furthermore, aside from the immediate response, private companies and international agencies have announced to give financial aid, and are piloting technological solutions to react better to future outbreaks.