ICPAC: Desert Locust Movement Prediction

Countries in East Africa are racing against time to prevent new swarms of locusts wreaking havoc on crops and livelihoods after the worst infestation in generations. ICPAC on its side developed a product to predict locust movement.

This product is presently disseminated to 500 users who have subscribed to GMES ICPAC Agriculture Updates. ICPAC has already 7 media stations and about 5 international organizations asking for more information.

This product allows

• Highly suitable climatic and ecological conditions for Desert Locust to thrive in crop areas of western Kenya, northern and central Uganda, Somalia, southern South Sudan, coastal Eritrea, northern Tanzania, central and southern Ethiopia.
• Wind speed and direction favour locust movement from East to West- infested to non-infested areas.
• The hoppers hatching in the semi-arid zones have affected grazing areas due to their high vegetation consumption rate.
• Crop areas in central Kenya have seen swarms attack perennial crops like coffee farms. In Uganda and Sudan, the swarms have mostly impacted grazing/rangelands and sorghum crops.

More :

Kenneth Kemucie Mwangi

mailto:kmwangi@icpac.net

THEMATIC ASSISTANT | AGRICULTURE and ENVIRONMENT

IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre- ICPAC

Ngong Town Kibiku A Road, Near KIHIBIT

P.O.Box 10304-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

T +254 0203514426 Skype kemucie

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