For Immediate Release:
Nairobi, 24 March 2020 – Responding to reports that Kenya’s government has abandoned the fight against locusts which are still ravaging many parts of the country, Greenpeace Africa’s Food Campaigner, Claire Nasike has said:
“While the government is putting a lot of effort into dealing with the COVID- 19 crisis, it must not abandon the war against locusts. Deprioritising the fight against locust invasion will put Kenyans at a greater risk of suffering another shock in the coming months.
“The locust invasion poses a great threat to food security in the country. The new swarms of locusts are now ravaging the highland areas which are Kenya’s breadbasket. The Ministry of Agriculture needs to move with speed to contain the current invasion to curb food shortage which could result in more suffering. There is a need to get rid of the eggs laid by the locusts before they start hatching into new swarms.
“The COVID -19 pandemic has presented a challenge to many systems in Kenya. And more than never before, there’s a need for Kenya’s government to coordinate and ensure that different Ministries deal with different challenges facing the country right now. The Ministry of Agriculture should strengthen its food systems and all the structures that are vital for the survival of its citizens especially in such times of crisis.
Greenpeace Africa is calling on Kenya’s government to assess the current health and food crisis from a holistic point of view and come up with measures to cushion Kenyans against hunger in the coming months.
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