New locust outbreak adds to southern Africa’s woes

New locust outbreak adds to southern Africa’s woes

Another locust outbreak is threatening southern Africa, this time with the potential to affect some 7 million people in four more countries. Botswana has seen smallholder farmers lose entire crops, with the growing region of Pandamatenga and its key sorghum crops at risk as the country seeks to step up…

Locust outbreak a growing threat to Kenya

New swarms of locusts are coming from Ethiopia and Somalia into Kenya, as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its partners continue to fight back against crop destruction in a part of the world where it is least afforded. The FAO said Friday it was…

FAO: Somalia sees worst locust crisis in 25 years

The desert locust outbreak in Somalia is far worse than anticipated, with significant crop damage in the eastern regions and threats to another 100,000 hectares expected over the next six months. That’s according to an update Wednesday from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which said it…

Aid agencies say Angola’s drought affects 2.3 million people

Aid workers in Angola are appealing for help in the country’s south, where they say climate change is causing a crisis for up to 2.3 million people. Paolo Balladelli of the United Nations said that’s how many people were affected at the height of this year’s drought. “Temperatures in 2019…

Laureen Fagan

Laureen is the editor of Africa Times

Jobs, food, climate change: What drives migrants toward Libya?

They leave because they lack an adequate income. They leave because they’re looking for better educational opportunities, because of the security situation at home, because there’s no food, and because of environmental and climate shocks. That’s according to a survey of 4,195 migrants in Libya released by IOM, the United…

FAO: Locust threat still lingers for Horn of Africa, parts of Sahel

The threat of crop-destroying locust swarms remains for the Horn of Africa and some North African nations, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and its new Early Warning Early Action report. The United Nations agency has been monitoring the threat following “unprecedented spring breeding” that happened earlier this…

WHO focuses on food safety to reduce preventable deaths

The World Health Organization is promoting the first-ever World Food Safety Day, a United Nations initiative rooted in the theme that “food safety is everyone’s business.” Every year, an estimated 600 million people become ill after eating food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances. Unsafe food also hinders…

Mourning ET302 victims as UNEA begins in Nairobi

The weeklong United Nations Environment Assembly began in Nairobi on Monday with a moment of silence for the 157 victims aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302, which crashed near its origination at Addis Ababa on Sunday with dozens of UN staffers, global delegates and participants on board.  Acting UN Environment director…

Locust swarms present risk to Red Sea nations

Horn of Africa nations continue their battles with a desert locust outbreak that is affecting the Red Sea region, where February rains have promoted a second generation of the insect breeding that began in December. New swarms are expected to form at the end of the month. “Once vegetation begins…