Farmers fear crop loss as locusts invade Kitui County

By , K24 Digital
On Thu, 23 Jan, 2020 12:09 | < 1 min read
Ministry of Agriculture Principal Secretary (PS) Prof. Hamadi Boga now says by end of June or July, Kenya will be locust-free. [PHOTO | FILE]
Ministry of Agriculture Principal Secretary (PS) Prof. Hamadi Boga now says by end of June or July, Kenya will be locust-free. [PHOTO | FILE]
Ministry of Agriculture Principal Secretary (PS) Prof. Hamadi Boga now says by end of June or July, Kenya will be locust-free. [PHOTO | FILE]

The locust invasion has hit Kitui County where residents reported seeing the pests on farms in Mwingi North which borders Tana River and Garissa counties.

Residents in Kaningo and Kavou, Tseikuru ward were the first to spot the locusts on Tuesday as they swarmed their farms, clearing vegetation.

By Wednesday, Kyuso residents reported seeing the insects on their farms, where they have destroyed vegetation.

The Kyuso residents told K24 Digital that they spend Wednesday night chasing the locusts from their farms.

“We have not slept and are still at the farms chasing locusts not to eat our farm produce,” said one farmer.

The farmer said the exercise is tiresome and in vain want the government to intervene to save their crops.

“Our shambas have been invaded and plants destroyed by the locusts,” the farmer said.

Ward representatives in the affected areas, Johnson Kanandu and Stephen Kivunsi, said the insects first invaded Kitui County through the Kora Game Reserve in Tseiuru and then to Kyuso.