Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA: February 25 (EI) – The Ethiopian government is racing against time to control Desert Locusts as the February – May harvest season commenced, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned on Tuesday.
With support from FAO, the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture is scaling up aerial and ground operations in Belg crop-producing areas, mainly Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ (SNNP) regions.
“We are at a critical stage at which we need to save the next and subsequent harvests and safeguard the livelihood of the population,” said Fatouma Seid, FAO Representative in Ethiopia, said.
So far, FAO has received 6.5 million U.S. dollars for control operations from United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the Office of United States Foreign Disaster Assistance, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region, as well as the government of Belgium.
It also disclosed that negotiations are ongoing with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and the government of Germany for an additional 10 million U.S. dollars for control operations and livelihoods support.
FAO had recently made an appeal for 138 million U.S. dollars, from the initial 76 million U.S. dollars a month ago, to assist eight Eastern African countries, of which 50.5 million U.S. dollars is for Ethiopia.
Appreciating the funds received so far and the ongoing negotiations with donors, FAO’s Seid also appealed to partners to close the funding gap.
“If we don’t act swiftly, the resource needs will continue to grow, and it will be more complicated and expensive to contain the situation,” she stressed.
Swarm movements and breeding continues
A Cross-border desert locust swarm movement has continued across the Ethiopia-Kenya border amid continuing breeding in southern part of Ethiopia.
Speaking from the SNNP region where she went to monitor the control operations, Ms. Seid stated, “The teams are working tirelessly to control the locusts. However, as locusts are highly mobile, we need to quickly boost local capacities in areas where they go. Currently, we are mobilizing and training communities in SNNPR and Oromia regions and ensuring that the required resources are available to respond to the invasion.”
Concern to farmers
Awuno Menka, 60, a farmer in Dereba village in South Omo, Gamugofa Zone in the SNNP region, has experienced first-hand the disastrous effects of the locusts and is worried about the continued invasion.
“Two massive swarms landed in our area and destroyed my entire maize crop. Although they were later controlled, more swarms are coming from Kenya. I fear for the next cropping season,” a statement issued by FAO on Tuesday quoted Awuno as saying.
Argueta Belachew, 45, also stressed that “in the last three days alone, numerous hoppers have been hatched and are consuming green vegetation. We appeal for help in controlling them.”
