Tharaka Nithi County rues losses as locusts destroy farmsMore than 2,400 metric tonnes of food have been destroyed by desert locusts in Tharaka Nithi County. Governor Muthomi Njuki said reports indicated the insects occupied about 18 sub-locations, totaling 30,000 acres. “We were lucky the insects came when the crops were being harvested, and a number of farmers were able to salvage theirs. There are other damages however because some farmers panicked and harvested grains not fully dry, posing dangers of aflatoxin contamination,” he said. He asked the Ministry of Agriculture to provide motorised pumps to supplement efforts shown by those on the ground.

Source: Standard Digital March 15, 2020 03:00 UTC