By RFIPosted on 20-01-2020Modified on 20-01-2020 at 23:22

East Africa has suffered the worst locust invasion in decades. And the crisis is just beginning. The Isiolo region, north of Nairobi, is mainly composed of pastoralists. Very affected, the inhabitants are worried about the cattle and their food security. The continuation of our reports.

It's like emptying the sea with a colander. The people of Sukurui shake bottles filled with pebbles to hunt the millions of locusts that have invaded their village. But the cloud stretches for miles and locals, like Veronica Kolgamet, are discouraged.

" There are so many, we can't hunt them all, " she said . It only works for those around the house. If they stay, it will be like a great drought, cattle and people will die. Because animals are our only resource. "

According to the UN, a cloud of one square kilometer can devour the food of 35,000 people in a day. In the northeast, a 60 km swarm was observed.

Ali Kombo has 150 goats and he wonders if they will survive. " When the cloud arrived, all the goats fled to the house," he says. When I returned, the pastures were gone. I have to go further to find food for the animals. If the locusts continue to devour everything, I don't know what will become of them. "

► Read also: [Report] Locust invasion in Kenya: the terror of the inhabitants of Isiolo

If breeders have to cover greater distances, the risk of tribal clashes will increase. This is what Jillo Buki, village chief of Yegabarsati, fears, who appeals to the government:

“ The further you go, the more insecurity increases. You find yourself in another county, and another community can attack you. The government needs to put in place early warning mechanisms. In the last dry season, he supplied bags of feed. If our pastures disappear, the authorities could start again, to save our lives. "

Even if the pesticide found is effective, Kenya is not finished. It will then have to kill the laid larvae, before they turn into adults and resume their destructive cycle.

► Read also: [Report] Locust invasion in Kenya: the Minister of Agriculture in Isiolo

According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the increase in the number of swarms could continue until June. The UN agency says it is concerned for Kenya, which has not experienced a phenomenon of such magnitude for more than half a century.

Residents of Sukurui village are trying to hunt the millions of locusts that have invaded their land.
© Sébastien Nemeth / RFI

The clouds stretch for kilometers and devour pastures.
© Sébastien Nemeth / RFI

The Isiolo County observation team sends the coordinates of the swarms so that the planes spray them with pesticide.
© Sébastien Nemeth / RFI

According to the UN, a cloud of one square kilometer can devour the food of 35,000 people in a day.
© Sébastien Nemeth / RFI

Locust clouds can reach tens of millions of specimens spread over tens of kilometers.
© Sébastien Nemeth / RFI

Teams deployed by Isiolo County track locusts to help planes spray pesticide.
© Sébastien Nemeth / RFI

Teams deployed by Isiolo County track locusts to help planes spray pesticide.
© Sébastien Nemeth / RFI

Isiolo Airport. Authorities have deployed planes to spray pesticide on locust clouds.
© Sébastien Nemeth / RFI

Isiolo County, north of Nairobi. Farmers are worried about their livestock while locusts are devouring pastures in the region.
© Sébastien Nemeth / RFI

Isiolo County, north of Nairobi. Ali Kombo breeder of 150 goats, saw the locusts devour the pastures of his animals.
© Sébastien Nemeth / RFI

► Read also:

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→ [Reportage] Locust invasion in Kenya: the Minister of Agriculture in Isiolo
→ [Reportage] Locust invasion in Kenya: the terror of the inhabitants of Isiolo

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