Sustainability is playing a role in the fight against locusts in Africa.
The USDA is helping farmers in developing countries improve methods by reducing the use of pesticides in their fight against the desert locust. U.S. Ambassador Kip Tom calls it a widespread effort.
“We’re doing this in a lot of places, whether it’s Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda. More problematic, we can’t do this. We got to do it all by ground when we look at places like... Somalia...” he said. “The reality is, we continue to see growth in these new technologies in addressing these food security issues. In the case of the African desert locust, we’re talking nearly 15 million people affected. So, we’re trying to improve lives and livelihoods, once again by using science.”
The east African nations were already facing starvation before the locust swarms coupled with food insecurity from the pandemic. One swarm can consume the same amount of food in one day, as 35,000 people.
