Farmers attempt to scare away locusts from their farms in Mwingi North, Kenya, Jan. 29, 2020. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations said late in January that it requires 7 billion shillings (about 70 million U.S. dollars) to tackle the locust plague that has already infested the Horn of Africa. (Xinhua/Fred Mutune)
Uganda has decided to deploy over 2,000 troops and civilian personnel in its northeastern region bordering Kenya where desert locust invasion is likely to first happen.
KAMPALA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Uganda has announced new measures to combat a possible locust invasion from neighboring Kenya.
A government statement issued here Friday said over 2,000 troops and civilian personnel are going to be deployed in the northeastern region where the invasion is likely to first happen.
According to the statement the locusts are 50km away from the Ugandan border.
The security personnel have been undergoing drills on hand and motorized sprayers which will be deployed.
"It is now a matter of hours for the locust to cross into Uganda. Another swarm is heading towards Tanzania boarder having crossed Kenya from Somalia," the statement said.
According to the statement, the nation task force will soon deploy two air spray planes and the Ugandan ministers are scheduled to meet their Kenyan counterparts to discuss cross border spraying agreements.
District surveillance teams are operating in all sub counties in the northeastern region.
Uganda last experienced a major locust invasion 70 years ago, with immense damage on crops, according to the agriculture ministry.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Desert Locust is considered the most destructive migratory pest in the world and a small swarm covering one square kilometer can eat the same amount of food in one day as 35,000 people.
