The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has applied for $ 40 million (RM 161,420,000) to combat desert locusts in Africa and Yemen. The fund aims to assist surveillance and control operations in affected countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Accordingly, there are more than 1500 people who have been trained for the operation which now has about 20 aircraft and 110 spray vehicles.
Reports say that the emergence of the biggest pest outbreak in seven decades is likely to continue until the new year. This is believed to threaten the food supply of communities in some parts of Africa and the Middle East.
Not only that, as many as 80 million locusts can also destroy crops that are estimated to be able to feed 2500 people for a year.
“Locust swarms are already forming and threatening to re-invade northern Kenya,” the FAO said in a statement.
“Breeding is also underway on both sides of the Red Sea, posing a new threat to Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Yemen,” FAO added.
However, thanks to the efforts of FAO in collaboration with its partners, it has helped clear more than 1.3 million hectares of pests in 10 countries this year. In fact, it helped prevent the loss of about 2.7 million tonnes of grain worth $ 800 million (RM 3,228,400,000).
Source: Bloomberg