The worst desert locust outbreak in decades is underway in East and the Greater Horn of Africa. According to experts, this is the worst outbreak in over 25 years in Ethiopia and Somalia and the worst observed in over 70 years in Kenya (The Guardian, April 2020).
Already, over 11.9 million people in the region are already experiencing severe acute food insecurity due to erratic/poor rains, floods, conflict, and the effects of border restriction brought about by COVID-19 pandemic within the five countries. The desert locust crisis poses an additional potential threat to the food security of another 20.1 million (FAO, January 2020).
Recent floods across the Horn and East Africa have created favourable breeding conditions for the desert locust. These conditions have allowed breeding to continue until July 2020 and the favourable conditions could lead to 500 times more locusts (according to FAO.
ACT Forums in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda have consolidated a regional appeal in response to the Desert Locust Invasion.
