Ethiopia, one million people facing food crisis because of locusts
Rights — di Andrea Barolini
FAO raises the alarm over the consequences of the locust invasion in Ethiopia. The situation could become dramatic with the coronavirus.
Ethiopia, one million people facing food crisis because of locusts
FAO raises the alarm over the consequences of the locust invasion in Ethiopia. The situation could become dramatic with the coronavirus.
The most dire forecasts have come true. The massive locust invasion that struck Ethiopia (and beyond) in recent weeks has devastated the productive capacity of local agricultural fields, putting the food security of the population at risk. So much so that one million people are now in need of emergency assistance to avoid famine.
Swarms of desert locusts are destroying crops in East Africa and parts of Asia. If left unchecked, the pests could multiply 500 times over by June, leaving millions facing severe food insecurity.
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The threat of new locust swarms in Ethiopia
The figures have been provided by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Ethiopian government, according to whom the situation could deteriorate further due to new locust swarms expected to arrive. Given that the first waves of locusts have already destroyed around 200,000 hectares of cultivated land, the need to act in support of the poorest sections of the population is clear.
Alors que le monde entier lutte contre la pandémie de #COVID19, l’Afrique de l’Est affronte une autre situation d’urgence.
Les #criquetspèlerins dévorent les récoltes et détruisent les moyens d’existence dans des proportions gigantesques 👉 bit.ly/2XBL0xB
Les #criquetspèlerins dévorent les récoltes et détruisent les moyens d’existence dans des proportions gigantesques 👉 bit.ly/2XBL0xB
It is indeed billions of locusts that have literally invaded not only Ethiopia but also Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti, Eritrea, Tanzania, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda in recent months. FAO explained that the insects have targeted in particular plantations of sorghum, maize and wheat, while also limiting the availability of pastureland.
The threat of coronavirus to aid efforts
In geographical terms, the United Nations agency specified that around 75 per cent of those affected in Ethiopia live in the Somali and Oromia regions: the former in the eastern part of the African country's territory, the latter in the centre-south.
Added to all of this is the coronavirus pandemic, which, should it strike Ethiopia with full force, could further worsen the situation, rendering futile the efforts made so far — in particular the delivery of food supplies and financial support for farmers and livestock herders. "While we are trying here to control the locust invasion," explained FAO's representative in the African nation, Fatouma Seid, "it is essential to protect the livelihoods of the affected populations, all the more so in the face of the Covid-19 crisis."