Ineffective bio-pesticides used in neighboring countries challenge locust prevention
By Brook Abdu
Ineffective bio-pesticides that are being used in neighboring countries are challenging Ethiopia’s effort to control the desert locust invasion which hit five regions so far, The Reporter has learnt.
Speaking to The Reporter on the desert locust prevention activities in Ethiopia, Belayneh Negussie, crop protection director at the Ministry of Agriculture, said that neighboring countries especially Somalia, Somaliland and Djibouti are employing bio-pesticides that are not killing the locusts.
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Bio-pesticides are environmentally friendly chemicals, Belayneh explained, and these chemicals cannot prevent an upsurge of locusts. They can only kill locusts at their early stages of development. Hence, it either kills a small amount or none of the fully grown pests.
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According to Belayneh, currently, they are employing 13 anti-locust aircrafts in addition to trucks mounted with sprays. We are also using manpower to spray pesticides. “What we are doing is maintain the locust before it enters crop-producing areas. I can assure you that it has never been beyond our capacity or prevention. But it is expanding to various parts of the country. Afar region was not affected in the past but winter breeding has brought the locust there. This shows that the locust’s movement is changing its behavior reaching newer places.”
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In an assessment FAO made in concert with the Government of Ethiopia and other United Nations agencies and Non-Governmental organizations, it was found that the desert Locusts damaged about 200,000 hectares of cropland and caused a cereal loss of over 356,000 MT.
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