Pesticides for controlling desert locusts are now locally available, the Agrochemicals Association of Kenya announced on Tuesday.
CEO Eric Kimunguyi said pesticides to spray the locusts that have invaded tens of counties are now in local stores and can be bought by the government.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has warned of a 400-fold increase in the number of locusts in the East Africa region by June if spraying does not continue.
The Desert Locusts Watch said the eggs laid by swarms were hatching, generating increasingly large numbers of locust hoppers.
Agriculture CS Peter Munya has admitted locust control efforts have been slowed down due to inadequate chemicals attributed to reduced air cargo, which has prevented the arrival of pesticides.
However, Kenya still has incoming cargo capacity but is instead held by government decisions on how to proceed with procurement.
In a statement, Kimunguyi said one of Africa’s largest agricultural exporters, Kenya has cargo-only flights most of which are still flying.
“These have traditionally arrived in Kenya nearly empty and left full. Thus, even with our total air cargo down to a tenth of its normal capacity, it is offering more than 400 tonnes a week of incoming cargo capacity, which has allowed our industry to bring in far more than the 100 tonnes needed for the next rounds of swarm spraying,” Kimugunyi said.
He said Kenya had concluded the process of identifying suitable pesticides for use against the locusts.
Last month, the Pest Control Products Board announced a list of 64 insecticides suitable for use on locusts, which have met safety standards.
PCPB has, however, emphasised the need to use varied insecticides to prevent any build up in resistance by locusts against a particular product. The scientists must also select the best product for eggs and hoppers. The initially approved list was only meant for mature swarms.
“With these recommended products announced, the industry now has in place 200 tonnes of these pesticides suitable for use against desert locusts. It is now a case of selection and moving to spraying," Kiminguyi said.
"We may just need to see some bold decisions about choosing the right products from the list, and about now starting the spraying of beds and hoppers, if we are to preempt new swarms.”
Locust expert Dr Christian Kooyman told the Star that the situation remains very serious.
Kooyman said Kenya still does not have enough spraying equipment of the appropriate types and pesticides are difficult to obtain in sufficient quantities as many countries are competing for them.
“In that light, it is difficult to understand that the government has not yet issued an import license for the biopesticide that I developed,” Kooyman said.
Most affected countries, including Kenya, do not have sufficient capacities to reduce the numbers of desert locusts to halt any adverse effects of their invasion.
However, Kooyman said the trade wind in the southern half of Kenya has now switched to the south-east, so any swarms present and forming in the coming weeks will gradually move north-west.
“We may hope that the main food-producing regions will soon be free of locusts so that crops can grow undisturbed. What worries me is that not all locusts will move far enough and that after the next switch in the trade winds, they may return and attacks crops,” he said.
Edited by Peter Obuya