Ethiopian Conflict Hampering Desert Locust Control, UN Says

(Bloomberg) -- Desert locusts are breeding in Ethiopia’s northern regions unhindered due to ongoing conflict, threatening food production in other parts of the vast nation and in neighboring Eritrea, according the Food and Agriculture Organization. 

Bands are forming in Amhara, Afar and Tigray regions, the United Nations agency said Tuesday on its website. 

“While the scale of current breeding is less than a year ago, the inability to undertake field operations in northern and northeast Ethiopia is of grave concern,” it said. 

In 2020, an outbreak in the region was the worst in decades and decimated food crops, fodder and the livelihoods of millions of people. Locusts can cover as much as 150 kilometers (93 miles) a day. A swarm of about 40 million to 80 million can eat crops sufficient to feed 2,500 people for a year, according to the FAO. 

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