The Karamoja region is now dry, with not so much green vegetation, a development which, according to residents was a blessing in disguise because, in the end, there was not so much for the locusts to feed. FAO research shows that Desert Locusts increase rapidly when there is plentiful rain and green vegetation develops.
So far, six out of nine districts making up the Karamoja sub region have had locusts. Throughout the day on Tuesday, the locusts were only seen in Kobebe Dam, Lotisan Sub County. The Kobebe swarm is said to have moved from Nakabaat, where the locusts first invaded on Sunday.
In the financial year 2018/19, the Ministry of Agriculture released the money to Mbarara Municipal Council, through the MAAIF project to start demonstration gardens in six divisions of Mbarara that is Biharwe, Kakiika, Kakoba, Kamukuzi, Nyamitanga, and Nyakayojo.
Arnold Waiswa Ayazika, the NEMA director, Environmental Monitoring and Compliance says beyond the suppressing of the locusts, NEMA is interested in monitoring the potential impact of chemicals on water sources, food crops and or any other non-target organisms.
