Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya says the government has enhanced mitigation efforts to effectively deal with dessert locusts that have invaded parts of the country.
Speaking in Garissa and Kitui which are among 17 counties that have been invaded by locusts, Munya promised to deliver more equipment to prevent the crop-devouring Desert Locusts from causing more damage in affected regions.
Munya said the national government will deploy a plane, 3 motorized sprayers, 50 specialized sprayers and 100 hand-held sprayers to the Garissa Locust Response Base to protect the 400 kilometers stretch of farming areas along the banks of River Tana in Garissa County.
Area MP Abdikarim Osman called for collaboration of the two levels of governments, UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization and other partners to contain the locust spread in the country.
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In Kitui, Munya said that his ministry has changed tact with efforts now targeting nymphs which might hatch in two to three weeks, as the locusts are said to be breeding in various areas of Kitui.
He said that assessment of damage and costing will also be conducted on affected areas for compensation to farmers for the loss they have incurred after their farms were invaded.