Farmers anxiety mounts as desert locusts spread
There is anxiety among farmers in Bungoma county after desert locusts were spotted in some parts of Kimilili, Tongaren, Mt Elgon and Bumula constituencies.
The farmers, who have started preparing their farms for the planting season starting next month, have expressed fears about the fate of their crops.
County Agriculture Executive Mathews Makanda confirmed the locusts were spotted in Namboani area of Kimilili constituency as well as Ndalu in Tongareni and Chemoge, Kaptama, Kapsokwony and Kopsiro in Mt Elgon constituency.
He said the county has written a letter to the Ministry of Agriculture requesting them to include Bungoma county in the list of counties affected by locusts, emphasising the need to dispatch planes to spray the affected areas.
Makanda warned the residents in the affected areas against eating the locusts as they may have been sprayed with insecticides elsewhere and may be harmful to their health.
Eradicate insects
In Trans Nzoia, farmers are also worried following reports that the locusts have invaded several parts of the rich maize-growing zone.
Two Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC ) farms of Suam Orchards in Endebes and Katuke in Kwanza have reportedly been hit by the invading insects which flew to the region from the neighbouring Uganda.
It is also feared that the locusts have invaded some parts of Nabiswa and Sikhendu in Kiminini and Kipyoywan in Saboti. County Commissioner Sam Ojwang has asked his deputies, assistant county commissioners, chiefs and their assistants to be on high alert to monitor the situation.
“We are in constant negotiations with our Ugandan counterparts (RDCs) who indeed have given the insects a blow and by providing a buffer zone, we will be able to contain the situation even as we ask for support from the County Government of Trans Nzoia and the ministry of internal security to fully eradicate the insects,’’ said Ojwang.
Kwanza MP Ferdinand Wanyonyi called for concerted support from both the county and national governments to combat the insects, which he said threaten food security in the region.
“I’m asking the county and the National governments to move fast and eradicate the insects,” Wanyonyi, who is also a member of the National Assembly’s Agriculture committee, said.
Provide pesticides
National Strategic Food Reserve chairman Noah Wekesa, who grows flowers for export, asked the Agriculture ministry to provide farmers with pesticides to help combat the locusts.
The former minister said the locusts invasion on green grass, sugar cane and the maize planted during the recent scattered rains was worrying and has had devastating effects on farmers.
In Samburu, swarms of locusts on Sunday destroyed vegetation at Ngata-lerai area of Suguta-Marmar, ACK Maralal Diocese Rt Rev Bishop Jacob Lesuuda told the press.
Lesuuda urged the Agriculture ministry to intervene and urgently spray the area to stem further spread of the locusts.
He urged the government to compensate those affected by the locust invasion.
The cleric said pastoralists have lost their grazing land adversely affecting livestock, the sole mainstay of the community.
Meanwhile, farmers in Nyandarua have been assured that the county is safe from desert locusts invasion because of the area’s cold weather that is not conducive to the insects.
The county Agriculture Executive James Karitu said farmers had nothing to worry about because the insects that had been sighted in parts of Ndaragwa in the county had been brought by strong winds and since the weather in the area was not favourable for their survival, they detoured to Laikipia county.
Conduct surveillance
Karitu, however, asked farmers and agricultural extension officers to conduct surveillance on the movement of the insects and note where they land for spraying to keep their eggs from hatching.
“The situation is under control and no need to worry, you should continue with normal farming activities,” he told farmers in Ndaragwa, Karampton, Kiandege and Mahianyu where the locusts were sighted on Friday.
Karitu was speaking when the Nyandarua County Disaster Management committee visited the areas on Saturday.
Elsewhere, farmers in Siaya have called on the county government to put in place mechanisms to ensure they do not incur heavy losses should the desert locusts invade the region.
Led by Julius Okoth, the farmers who spoke to the media in Siaya town, said reports of the locusts in parts of Western and Rift valley regions that border the area were alarming hence the need for the agricultural experts in the county to work closely with farmers.
At the same time, Busia Deputy Governor Moses Mulomi has said it is a challenge to control the locusts because breeding regions in Ethiopia and Somalia have not been contained.
“The national government should move with speed and avail counties that have been invaded or facing threats of invasion with chemicals and equipment to enable them to cope with any inherent challenges,” he said.
“Locusts are able to produce three generations in a year a move that will make this country experience scarcity of food,” added Mulomi, an entomologist.
—Reporting by Yusuf Masibo, David Macharia, David Musundi,Henry Andanje and KNA
