World Vision staff in Komoret Village in Amudat District, Karamoja Region in North Eastern Uganda where desert locusts were sighted, among other areas. Photo: World Vision.
World Vision Uganda is preparing to respond to the massive locust infestation sweeping across East Africa.
On Wednesday, the evangelical Christian humanitarian aid, development, and advocacy organization said that its team is on ground to conduct, assessment and determine the impact of this invasion on the communities, especially the lives of children.
Locusts crossed over from Kenya to Uganda through Amudat district on Sunday afternoon (February 9), spreading to four other districts in the region – Moroto, Nakapiripirit, Abim and Katakwi.
According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Horn of Africa has been hit by the worst invasion of desert locusts in 25 years posing an unprecedented threat to food security in the entire sub region, where more than 19 million people in East Africa are already experiencing a high degree of food insecurity.
Officials from Uganda’s government revealed in a statement dated February 5, 2020 that irregular weather and climate conditions in 2019, including heavy rains between October and December, are suspected to have contributed to the spread of locusts in the region.
The head of the inter-ministerial task force set up to fight locusts, Mr Stephen Byantwale told a local news daily government is facing hardship in acquiring recommended chemicals for desert locust control due to limited supply on the market.
Further more, Mr Hillary Lokwang, the MP for Ik County in Kaabong District, told press there have been uncoordinated movements by State teams supposed to fight the locusts because they have not engaged the local leaders who are conversant with the geographical landscape of the area.
Speaking to the Daily Monitor Newspaper, Mr Pius Wakabi Kasajja, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, confirmed earlier this week that government released Shs22b to fight desert locusts.
