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Kenya: Locust Invasion Looms
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The Nation (Nairobi)
4 January 2008
Posted to the web 3 January 2008
Abdi Ali
Nairobi
A swam of locusts spotted in Gode region of Ethiopia is a threat to Kenya.
A pilot attached to the Eastern Africa Desert Locust Control Unit told the Press at Moyale Town that agricultural land could be extensively damaged in both countries if the insects were not destroyed.
But Thursday, the unit left Moyale for Gode after a three- day aerial surveillance of the district confirmed that Moyale was safe.
Pilot Abdilahi Arale said the locusts were breeding in Gode and hoppers had been spotted.
The region will be sprayed from low attitude with chemicals with a life span of three days, according to Mr Arale.
He also confirmed that some parts of central Ethiopia had been sprayed by the unit, with successful results.
The unit earlier carried out aerial surveillance in Wajir and Mandera districts where the locusts were spotted last November.
Mr Arale confirmed that the area was safe as the adult locusts could not survive under adverse weather.
Moyale acting district agriculture officer Hassan Marsa said the unit was called in after locusts covering an area of 100 kilometres crossed the border to Ethiopia.
He said a few locusts landed in Golbo and Uran divisions of the district.
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However, according to the aerial surveillance, none of the locusts survived, and Mr Arale attributed that to age and heat.
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