Kenya
| Kenya | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Kenya is within: | |
| Region: | Africa |
| Subregion: | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Intermediate region: | Eastern Africa |
Kenya is located on the East African coast along the equator. It shares its northern borders with South Sudan and Ethiopia, while to the east, it is bordered by Somalia and the Indian Ocean. To the south lies Tanzania, and to the west, it is bordered by Uganda and Lake Victoria. Kenya is known for its diverse landscapes, including deserts like the Chalbi and glaciated mountains, supporting a rich variety of biodiversity. One of Kenya's prominent features is the Great Rift Valley, which separates the Central Highlands. [1]
Agriculture in Kenya is predominantly rain-fed, with maize, wheat, beans, tea, coffee, and potatoes as the main crops. Bimodal rainfall usually enables two cropping seasons annually, except in high-altitude regions and when impacted by drought. In the semi-arid areas, pastoralists focus on livestock, including beef and dairy cattle, sheep, goats, camels, pigs, and poultry. [1]
Ecology and distribution
The breeding belts of the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) in the "Central Region" stretch across eastern Africa, covering areas from eastern and southern Ethiopia and Somalia, south of the northern coastal escarpment, down to Kenya and northern Tanzania. Summer breeding is limited to northwestern Kenya, the lower, drier and sandier part of the country, along the Rift Valley and near Lake Turkana, and sometimes extends to neighboring areas of Uganda and southeastern Sudan. [2]
There is a high probability for desert locust breeding in the counties of Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Garissa, Turkana, and a few sites in Samburu.[3]
Outbreaks
2019-2021
In 2019-2021 Kenya experienced the most severe desert locust invasion in over 70 years. Originating in the Arabian Peninsula, the locusts spread to East Africa, invading 26 counties in Kenya, particularly in the arid and semi-arid northern and northeastern regions. Swarms damaged crops and grazing areas, leading to the loss of around 31,000 hectares of farmland and 580,000 hectares of pastureland. [4] Read more here
During the 2019-2021 desert locust outbreak, control efforts faced several obstacles, including inadequate funding, a lack of appropriate chemicals, and insufficiently trained personnel to use the available chemicals effectively. [4] This is likely due to the long gap since Kenya had last faced an outbreak. See vicious cycle of locust outbreaks.
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Desert locust swarm in Kenya ©FAO/Sven Torfinn -
Adult desert locusts in Kenya ©FAO/Sven Torfinn -
Desert locust swarm in Kenya ©FAO/Sven Torfinn -
Desert locust outbreak 2020 ©FAO/Sven Torfinn
View the full FAO Flickr photo album of the 2019 desert locust outbreak in Kenya here and here.
Management and research
Kenya is part of the FAO Desert Locust Control Organization for Eastern Africa (DLCO EA). The Kenyan government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development of Kenya, works with partners like the DLCO-EA to management locusts. Farmers use a range of traditional techniques to prevent additional damage, such as striking objects, using twigs or leaves to chase locusts, making noise, lighting fires, trampling, and applying on-farm sprays. [4]
Kenya has many other organizations working in the field of management and research. Notably, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in Nairobi, is a focal center of excellence offering training and a research environment for African scientists from across Africa. Since the 1990s, significant research at ICIPE has focused on locust behavior and ecology, particularly the desert locust. This includes studies on their chemical ecology and the development of biocontrol methods using entomopathogens. [5]
Species of locust and grasshoppers in Kenya represented in HopperWiki
Organizations (16)
| Name | Acronym | Type | Focus | Focus keywords | Species purview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astral Aerial Solutions | Private Sector | Other | Robotics & drone technology | ||
| Éléphant Vert | Private Sector | Management | Biological control, Fertilizer, Control, Chemical manufacturing | ||
| FAO Desert Locust Control Committee | DLCC | Intergovernmental Organization | Development, Management, Governance | Agricultural development, Community development, Control, International development, Regional cooperation, Sustainable development, Training, Natural sciences
|
Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| FAO Desert Locust Control Organization for Eastern Africa | DLCO EA | Intergovernmental Organization | Education, Governance, Management, Research | Training, Regional cooperation, Monitoring, Control, Coordination | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| Feed the Future Developing Local Extension Capacity | DLEC | Intergovernmental Organization | Education, Information Hub, Development, Governance | Policy, Training, Agricultural development | |
| InsectiPro | Unknown | Other | Edible Insects | ||
| International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology | ICIPE | Non-profit Organization | Research, Education | Sustainable development, Training, Natural sciences | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| International Red Locust Control Organization for Central and Southern Africa | IRLCO CSA | Intergovernmental Organization | Management, Governance, Funding | Monitoring, Control, Regional cooperation, Forecasting, Natural sciences | Red locust (Nomadacris septemfasciata) |
| Kenya Biodiversity Coalition | KBioC | Non-profit Organization | Development | Biodiversity, Conservation, Sustainable development | |
| Kenyatta University | KU | University | Research | ||
| Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock Development | Government | Management | Control, Monitoring | ||
| Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development of Kenya | Government | Management, Development | Control, Forecasting, Monitoring, Agricultural development | ||
| Mpala Research Centre | MPALA | Non-governmental Organization | Research, Education | Training | |
| The Bug Picture | Private Sector | Development, Management | Edible Insects, Agricultural development, Sustainable development | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) | |
| Think Tank for Sustainability | TMG | Non-profit Organization | Development, Research, Governance | Sustainable development, Policy | |
| University of Nairobi | UONBI | University | Management | Control, Natural sciences |
Resources (21)
| Title | Resource link | Category | Descriptive keyword | Author | Language | Species purview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biblical plague or manageable threat? | View URL | Media | Media article, Locust outbreaks | The Telegraph | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| Desert locust field handbook | View URL | Guide | Species identification, Management | Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| Desert locust invasion responding to a crisis within a crisis | View URL | Technical report | Presentation, Outbreaks, Emergency response | World Bank | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| Desert locust surveillance and control programmatic environmental assessment | View URL | Technical report | Monitoring, Environmental assessment, Management | United States Agency for International Development | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| East Africa desert locust crisis fact sheets | View URL | Technical report | Emergency response, Outbreaks | United States Agency for International Development | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| Emergency Locust Response Program Phase 3 The World Bank Group | View URL | Media | Media article | World Bank, Intergovernmental Authority on Development | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| From plague to promise | View URL | Media | Edible insects, Outbreaks | Grist | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| Global response plan January–December 2020 | View URL | Technical report | Emergency response, Outbreaks | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| Greater Horn of Africa and Yemen Desert locust crisis appeal | View URL | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) | ||
| How a UN-led fight against locusts took a toxic toll on Kenyan farmers | View URL | Media | Locust outbreaks, Pesticides, Biopesticide, Emergency response | Grist | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| How Kenya’s farmers are trying to outsmart locusts and climate change | View URL | Media | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Food security, Crop health, Agriculture, Climate change, Management
|
The Independent | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| In Kenya, lessons from 2020 prepare responders for a locust re-invasion | View URL | Media | Media article, Outbreaks, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Crop health, Agriculture, Livelihoods, Livestock, Grazing, Governance, Management, Chemical control, Pesticides, Spraying, Monitoring, Collective movement, Community development, Aerial control operations, Economics
|
Devex | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| In Kenya, this start-up is turning locust swarms into animal feed | View URL | Media | Mechanical control, Locust outbreaks, Video | English | ||
| Kenya Beats Back Fresh Wave of Desert Locust Invasions | View URL | Media | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Management | Bloomberg News | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| Kenya: A sustainable solution to locust swarms? | View URL | Media | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Infestations, Food security, Livelihoods, Crop health, Agriculture, Livestock, Mechanical control, Edible insects, Management, Integrated pest management, Community development, Collective movement
|
BBC News | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| Kenya's farmers struggle as locusts descend | View URL | Media | Mechanical control, Locust outbreaks | Deutsche Welle | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| Progress report on the response in the Greater Horn of Africa and Yemen | View URL | Technical report | Report, Advisory note, Forecasting, Monitoring, Locust outbreaks, Locusts, Outbreaks, Emergency response, Early warning, Livelihoods, Aerial control operations, Summary, Food security, Chemical control, Biological control, Community development, Collective movement, After action review, Agriculture, Crop health, Economics, Infographic, Advice, Public health, Pesticide management
|
United States Agency for International Development | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| The World Bank Group and the Locust Crisis | View URL | Media | Media article | World Bank | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| This Kenyan Startup Is Turning Locust Swarms into Animal Feed | View URL | Media | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Management, Weather, Climate change, Livestock, Grazing, Edible insects, Crop health, Mechanical control, Livelihoods, Integrated pest management, Agriculture, Community development
|
Freethink | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| UN releases Sh164m for fight on locust upsurge | View URL | Media | Media article, Locust outbreaks, Outbreaks, Locusts, Infestations, Management, Chemical control, Pesticides, Aerial control operations, Pesticide management, Monitoring, Spraying, Governance, Collective movement, Agriculture, Crop health, Livelihoods, Food security, Economics
|
Nation | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
| World Bank Announces $500 Million to Fight Locusts | View URL | Media | Media article | World Bank | English | Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) |
Projects
| Name | Acronym | Image | Status | Project leads | Related organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drones for desert locust control in East Africa |  |
Active | |||
| Project Locust | Active | Tomorrownow.io |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2015) Country Profile - Kenya. https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/f7c0aebf-73cd-4aa5-b128-13af54b5693b/content
- ↑ Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Popoc GB (1997) Desert locust atlas. Rome. https://hopperwiki.org/images/e/ec/Atlas_of_desert_locust_breeding_habitats.pdf
- ↑ Kimathi E, Tonnang HEZ, Subramanian S, Cressman K, Abdel-Rahman EM, Tesfayohannes M, Niassy S, Torto B, Dubois T, Tanga CM, Kassie M, Ekesi S, Mwangi D, Kelemu S (2020) Prediction of breeding regions for the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria in East Africa. Scientific Reports 10: 11937. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68895-2
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Lumumba BO, Otieno DJ, Nyikal RA (2024) Farmers’ perceptions of integrated desert locust management: a case study in Isiolo and Meru Counties of Kenya. Journal of Integrated Pest Management 15: 16. https://doi.org/10.1093/jipm/pmae008
- ↑ Ries MW, Adriaansen C, Aldobai S, Berry K, Bal AB, Catenaccio MC, Cigliano MM, Cullen DA, Deveson T, Diongue A, Foquet B, Hadrich J, Hunter D, Johnson DL, Pablo Karnatz J, Lange CE, Lawton D, Lazar M, Latchininsky AV, Lecoq M, Le Gall M, Lockwood J, Manneh B, Overson R, Peterson BF, Piou C, Poot-Pech MA, Robinson BE, Rogers SM, Song H, Springate S, Therville C, Trumper E, Waters C, Woller DA, Youngblood JP, Zhang L, Cease A (2024) Global perspectives and transdisciplinary opportunities for locust and grasshopper pest management and research. Journal of Orthoptera Research 33(2): 169–216. doi:10.3897/jor.33.112803.