Otiato GuguyuKenya has committed to reduce use of poison to kill locusts following outcry that the chemicals decimates biodiversity and affects human brain development especially in children, and can hit reproduction and the nervous system.
Principal Secretary Livestock, Jonathan Mueke told delegates from Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda that make up the IGAD region- Intergovernmental Authority on Development that coordinated response prevented an outbreak last year, helping the government save on large scale response and the use of poison coordinated by the United Nations.
Banned in Europe for its toxic effects, Chlorpyrifos, fenitrothion, and malathion—are broad-spectrum organophosphates, widely used pesticides sometimes referred to as “junior-strength nerve agents” because of their kinship to Sarin gas. The other, deltamethrin, is a synthetic pyrethroid, which is especially toxic to bees and fish.
“Despite favourable ecological and weather conditions during the rainy season of October, November, and December 2023, the region successfully avoided another desert locust outbreak similar to or worse than the one experienced in 2019/2020,” PS Mueke said.
With rains comes locusts
“This achievement highlights the crucial role of the Platform in coordinating early warning and early actions, resulting in significant cost savings and reduced use of synthetic pesticides, thereby minimizing negative environmental impacts,” he said.
“A one-day training session on bio pesticides will build expertise among plant protection officers, contributing to a unified response to pest outbreaks,” he said.
The desert locust are part of the transboundary threats that hits all these countries along quellia birds, fall army worms and African army worms.
The IGAD region is facing renewed risk of being invaded by desert locusts in the coming months, after torrential rains which have set favourable conditions for desert locust infestation in the region.
Conflict hindering coordination
Experts say conflict in the region could make it difficult to coordinate cross border fight against the pests saying they are already seeing a situation whereby desert locusts are becoming threat to the region due to insecurity challenges in Ethiopia, parts of Somalia, part of Yemen.
If the swarms fly off the hands of authorities, it could mean government will need billions of shillings and dangerous poison to deal with the threat.
More than $200 million was spent in tackling the 2019-2021 desert locust invasion, across more than 200,000 hectares in the over 20 affected counties. While spraying to control locus invasion helped protect food it poses environmental risks that can be limited by the alternative ways of battling the menace.
Push for Biopesticides
IGAD region wants member countries to commit to ending use of the poisons by offering an alternative coordinated response that stresses on the use of biopesticides.
Kenya signed a declaration by Igad to move toward biopesticides that are less harmful following criticism by environmental lobbies for using the chemicals known for its toxicity to reproductive systems, as well as altering the hormonal system in humans, affecting barain development and nervous systems especially for children .
A technology developed by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Icipe), Catholic Organisation for Relief and Development Aid (Cordaid), and funded by the Netherlands Postcode Lottery (NPL) targets mass rearing of edible insects and processing them into products that fortify animal feeds, offering an alternative to costly feeds at local agrovets.
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