The locust crisis in East Africa

The new wave of locusts in East Africa presents an alarming threat to food security and livelihoods, putting 20 million people just below the famine line. Travelling in dense swarms, desert locusts can eat as much food in a single day, as Kenya’s whole population of 53 million people. In the most affected countries, the swarms have already ravished 70% of the farming crops, the main livelihood of the population.

Keith Cressman, Senior Locust Forecasting Officer for the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), talks about the humanitarian implications of this crisis and the response of the UN.