A second wave of locusts invasion has hit 15 counties with Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya warning that the situation could get worse because of huge swarms that are lying at the Ethiopian border.
Mr Munya, however, said the country is prepared to tackle the invasion, noting that there are chemicals to combat the impending danger for two months.
The CS said so far they have sprayed 66 swarms out of 75 swarms that are currently in the country, mainly in northern and coastal counties.
A second wave of locusts invasion has hit 15 counties with Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya warning that the situation could get worse because of huge swarms that are lying at the Ethiopian border.
Mr Munya, however, said the country is prepared to tackle the invasion, noting that there are chemicals to combat the impending danger for two months.
The CS said so far they have sprayed 66 swarms out of 75 swarms that are currently in the country, mainly in northern and coastal counties.
“We expect the invasion to be bad because of the locusts that are lying at the Ethiopian border, but we want to assure the country that we are ready to combat the menace as we have enough resources,” said Mr Munya during a news conference at Kilimo House yesterday.
He said the ministry has deployed nine aircraft for aerial spraying with three being on standby.
The State has also released 21 vehicles fitted with sprayers for ground control.
“We have 500 personnel from the National Youth Service and we are going to train the same number to engage in this exercise,” he said.
The government has also established eight control bases in Isiolo, Marsabit, Masinga, Garissa, Turkana (Lodwar), Mandera, Lamu (Witu) and Taita Taveta to coordinate desert locust management operations.
In August, the government had indicated that preliminary research showed the desert locusts had been contained with only two counties of Turkana and Samburu being still affected.
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