Kenya braces for returning locust swarms

By September 17, 2020

Kenya (MNN) — Kenya’s locust problem hasn’t gone away. In fact, Kenyans could see a third generation of the insects destroy vegetation across the country. This is the worst locust outbreak for the region in 70 years.

As MNN already reported, locusts already caused a lot of destruction in Kenya and other surrounding countries this year. In October, favorable weather conditions could contribute to a return of the swarm.

Thabati from FMI explains how the locusts move through Kenya and why new swarms come up behind them. “They find a route through Rift Valley. And Rift Valley is one province that acts as the breadbasket of Kenya. So they devastated everything, anything that is green. And as they were moving, they also left some eggs that hatch after them.”

(Photo courtesy of Martin Fisch on Flickr

Food insecurity

Kenya has already seen two locust waves causing widespread food insecurity. To make matters worse, the pandemic cost many people their jobs. Thabati says pastors have had to spend all their time getting food for their families rather than ministering to their congregations.

To address this problem, FMI provides humanitarian aid for pastors. However, “You don’t eat once, but we eat always.  We are trying to look for a sustainable way so that when such a strike happens again, or if it continues, we will put our pastors be in a position where they can have a food supply, even if the help is not coming immediately [or if locusts strike again].”

Pray pastors in Kenya will have the food they need and will be able to carry out their regular ministries among their congregations. And pray that Kenya would see a wave of sustainable farming techniques so that even when locusts come, people will still have food to eat.



The header photo shows a locust swarm. Photo here. (Iwoelbern / CC BY-SA