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Graphic shows areas affected by locust swarms and areas treated to control the plague.
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AGRICULTURE

Locust swarms ravage East Africa

By Jordi Bou

February 18, 2020 - The UN is warning of an impending food crisis if swarms of locusts ravaging crops and pasture are not brought under control.

The swarms of billions of locusts have been destroying crops in Kenya, which hasn’t seen such an outbreak in 70 years, as well as Somalia and Ethiopia, which haven’t seen this in a quarter-century. The insects have exploited favorable wet conditions after unusually heavy rains, and experts say climate change is expected to bring more of the same.

A medium-size swarm of locusts can eat the same amount of food as the entire population of Kenya, according to Keith Cressman, the UN Food and Agriculture Organizations senior locust forecasting officer.

U.N. officials warn that immediate action is needed before more rainfall in the weeks ahead brings fresh vegetation to feed new generations of locusts. If left unchecked, their numbers could grow up to 500 times before drier weather arrives, they say.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 18/02/2020; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Associated Press
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