Kampala — SCIENTISTS have been urged to adopt environmentally friendly methods to control pests. This would save the environment.

While speaking at the session of the Desert Locust Control Organisation for Eastern Africa Council of Ministers meeting, the agriculture minister, Hilary Onek, noted that many pestcides used pollute the environment in Africa. pesticides that pollute the environment were being used.

The meeting, which attracted agriculture ministers from eight member countries, took place at Imperial Botanic Beach Hotel in Entebbe on Thursday.

The countries included Uganda the founder state since 1962, Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan and Djibouti.

Onek explained that although locusts had not attacked Uganda for some years, there was need for the country to participate in the control methods.

"Locusts are very fast and destructive insects which can cover about 50 kilometres a day. We need to be alert," he said.

Onek added that last year, locusts invaded Kenya and Ethiopia and the technical units were deployed to control them.

The out-going chairman of the bloc, Gideon Ndambuki, called for the intervention of the governments since the region is vulnerable to the destruction by the migratory pests. Ndambuki is also the Kenyan assistant minister for agriculture.