– Only in 2023, close to 60 tonnes of grains with an estimated cost of 5.5 million USD have been destroyed in western Kenya by quelea birds
– Climate Change Exacerbates Desert Locusts and Other Pests Infestations
(Naivasha, Kenya, December 4, 2023): Experts of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) said that effective control of Desert Locusts , Quelea Birds and other Transboundary Pests is imperative to protect crops and to ensure food security in the IGAD region.
The experts expressed this at the opening of an ICPAC organized training workshop that has brought science journalists together from the IGAD region and themed “Crisis Reporting During Desert Locust and Other Transboundary Pest Invasion In the IGAD Region” in Naivasha, Kenya today, December 4, 2023.
Kenneth Mwangi, Earth Observation and Geo-Information Specialist of ICPAC-IGAD and who is also a policy development practitioner in food systems and food security told participants that the crop destruction caused by desert locusts and other transboundary pests in the IGAD region in very enormous and it leaves millions of poor farmers food insecure.
“Therefore, if the IGAD member countries could effectively control the recurrent infestations of desert locusts, other transboundary pests and the flocking quelea birds, it is possible to disentangle millions of our farmers from food insecurity in our region.”
According to Kenneth, only in 2023 close to 60 tonnes of grains with an estimated cost of 5.5 million USD have been destroyed in western Kenya by quelea birds. Moreover, he cited, the Ugandan Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries as reporting that the flocking birds destroyed 7000 MT of rice with an estimated cost of 5.5 million USD Bulambuli district in 2020.
This is really quite an momentous volume of crops that could affect farmers and lead them to food insecurity.The major crops that are affected by Quelea birds include: rice, sorghum, wheat, millet, teff and barley, he pointed out.
As to the expert, warmer temperatures increase the rates of egg hatching and locust development in breeding areas and climate change is one of the major driving factors that exacerbate crop infestation by various pests.
Using Biopesticides to Control Desert Locusts
The use of Biopesticides, natural bacteria, fungi or viruses to attack insect pests, is usually recommended to minimize the distraction of other important plants and insects during aerial spray against desert locusts and other pests, Kenneth has given his advice.
He recalled that one fungus, Metarhizium acridum, used in Somalia and has proven to be particularly effective in controlling locusts.
Collaborating with FAO, the Government of Somalia during 2019-2022 desert locust crisis used biopesticides and Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) exclusively to control these pests and has set an example for locust management worldwide by achieving a unique response to the problem.
However, as biopesticides are said to be slow acting, the use of other options and early detection is recommended to leave enough time for the biopesticides to act before the locusts can cause significant damage to the area.
Climate Change Exacerbates Infestations of Desert Locusts and Other Pests
ICPAC-IGAD data management specialist Mr. Herbert Misiani on his part corroborates that recent interplay of risk factors like El Nino, recurrent droughts and floods are exacerbating vulnerabilities in the IGAD region and steady rise in regional temperature and spatial variability are observed. As the region is getting hotter, some areas of the region might get wetter while others will experience depressed rainfall, he added
“Climate impacts in the region are visible and projected to continue and Climate Models are a tool for understanding the climate system and projections of future change,” Mr. Herbert pointed out.
Communications and Reporting Officer of ICPAC-IGAD Mrs. Emebet Jigssa also said that as part of one of ICPAC’s services related to achieving and increased capacity to monitor and predict climate-educed hazards and improve community resilience, ICPAC has developed strong communication tools to build the capacity of institutions in the IGAD region through the dissemination and sharing of pertinent information to member states.
The other ICPAC’s services include climate forecasting, early warning, remote sensing, environmental monitoring and information dissemination for sustainable development in Eastern Africa, she told participants.
According to Emebet, ICPAC strives to enhance the disaster monitoring and prediction capacity in the region and to increase the capacity of stakeholders and communities for uptake and use and of climate services through effective communication and information sharing.
Moreover, it was indicated, ICPAC works to ensure increased availability and use of climate services to address climate variability and change, to enhance the use of earth observation and geospatial technologies for environmental and food security in the region as well as to strengthen the capacities of member states to address climate change mitigation and adaptation.
IGAD has set up and operationalized an Inter-Regional Platform for the Sustainable Management of Desert Locusts and other TransBoundary Pests and the Platform is part of the World Bank’s Emergency Locust Response Program) that supports the IGAD member states to respond to the challenges posed by the desert locust invasion and develop regional pest management strategies.
ICPAC, now a World Metrological Organization (WMO) designated Regional Climate Centre (WMO-RCC) for the Eastern Africa, a member of AUC/NEPAD network for the Water Centres of Excellence, having an Observer Status with the UNFCCC, was first established in 1989 as the Drought Monitoring Centre, Nairobi (DMCN) in 1989, and transformed to “IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC)” following the signing of its protocol in 2007.