Food and Agriculture Organisation says Ghana is no longer under threat from desert locust invasion

The FAO had earlier issued a warning of a possible invasion of desert locust in the Northern part of Ghana.

According to the FAO, the desert locust appeared in East Africa early this year due to irregular weather and climate conditions. It said at the time that the invasion was likely to hit the Northern part of Ghana.

The organization stated that the East African invasion is the worst invasion of desert locusts in 25 years, according to the FAO.

Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia are all struggling with “unprecedented” and “devastating” swarms of the food-devouring insects.

The UN has called for international help to fight the huge swarms of desert locusts sweeping through the eastern part of the continent.

A spokesman for the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), called for aid to “avert any threats to food security, livelihoods, malnutrition.”

But speaking at a press briefing in Accra, the Crop Production and Protection Officer of the organization, Jean Bahama, explained that due to the current weather conditions there is a low possibility of an invasion.

“It is not probable or likely that the locust will move to West Africa. Even if they should move to West Africa, the dry weather conditions that are prevailing, for the time being, will not allow them to thrive,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Pests, Crop and Disease Division of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Ebenezer Aboagye, said that the Ministry had put in place measures to purchase insecticides to deal with the pests should they reach Ghana.

Food and Agriculture Organisation says Ghana is no longer under threat from desert locust invasion

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