locust populations moving together) have covered nearly 430 square kilometers and have consumed about 1.3 million metric tons of vegetation over a two-month period. The formation of bands is ongoing in the rangelands of the Ethiopian Somali Region, and massive new swarms will arrive from Yemen and Somalia. A swarm even forced an Ethiopian passenger plane off course in December.
The swarms entered Uganda in March of 2021, where almost half the country faces hunger as it emerges from civil war. Uganda has not had such an outbreak since the 1960s and is already on alert. It also has not had to deal with a locust infestation since the ’60s so there is concern about the ability for experts on the ground to be able to deal with it without external support.
The insects have also created a different path, heading towards South Sudan, where almost half the country faces hunger as it emerges from civil war. They have not had such an outbreak since the 1960s and their country is already on alert, as well. In a country like South Sudan, where already 47% of the population is food insecure, this crisis would cause devastating consequences.
How much damaged has been caused so far?
The Government of Djibouti estimates that the damage caused by the desert locust infestations on vegetation cover (crops and pastures) have already caused a loss of around $5 million in USD for the six regions of the country. In Djibouti, it is estimated that over 1,700 agropastoral farms across the country and nearly 250,000 acres of pasture land have been destroyed by the swarms.
How is Africa trying to stop the swarms?
The UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have both stated that the phenomenally heavy rains have contributed to not only the devastating 2019 Burundi landslides, but also, a "serious and widespread desert locust outbreak". The Desert Locust Control Organization for Eastern Africa (the DLCO-EA which Burundi is not a member of) noted the necessity for urgent and decisive action from all partners, as well as the resources to support large-scale ground surveys, aerial spraying services, provision of chemicals, information dissemination, and further capacity building for control operations.
This entire timeline of locusts in Africa, is an ongoing situation that needs to be addressed as a serious situation, by not only Africa, but also by The UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in a more efficient way, so that the locusts can be terminated, and people will stop starving. By informing the public about this information, it will help people understand the situation in Africa, perhaps giving them the drive to help them in some way, shape, or form.