AfDB grants US$1.5mn to improve livelihoods & food security
Continuing in its commitments to economically develop Africa, AfDB has approved a US$1.5mn emergency relief grant to control swarms of desert locusts.
Currently in the East and Horn of Africa, the region is facing swarms of desert locusts that are threatening the livelihoods and food security for the communities. The African Development Bank’s (AfDB), recently approved emergency relief grant of US$1.5mn aims to combat this challenge facing the region.
The assistance will be provided to the Intergovernmental Authority of Development (IGAD), which has been mandated on behalf of the African Union to mobilise resources.
IGAD has also begun collaborations with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), to provide desert locust invasion control, safeguard livelihoods and to promote early recovery of households which are affected in the East and Horn of Africa.
The funds provided by the AfDB, will be used to control the spread of the current invasion, as well as prevent potential next-generation swarms and conduct impact assessments and monitoring, in hopes to enhance the preparedness and awareness of the region.
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Beneficiary countries include:
Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.
Among those affected by the swarms, Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia have particularly been hit hard by the outbreak and widespread breeding, which is expected to create new swarms imminently.
This infestation could pose an unprecedented risk to the livelihoods of communities and food security within the already fragile region, causing huge damage to agricultural production.
Ethiopia and Somalia are facing the worst outbreak of locusts in 25 years, while Kenya is facing the worst in 70, with the locusts devastating more than 30,000 hectares of crops, including coffee and tea that account for about 30% of the nation’s exports in Ethiopia.
Despite government interventions, in Djibouti, over 80% of 1,700 agro-pastoral farms are affected by desert locust infestations. While at least 18 of 47 Kenyan counties are affected with more than 70,000 hectares of crops under infestation according to recent FAO reports.
It is reported that roughly US147mn will be required to control the infestation, of which the country has currently been provided US$75mn from donor and UN agencies.
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