The Ministry of Agriculture has since passed out information warning the entire populace to stock enough food. However, the warning might have come in late as many people are likely to have already sold off a number of crops harvested in the recent farming season. Uganda last experienced a major locust invasion in 1961, with immense damage on crops which resulted in acute hunger.
The Engineer in charge of the Vessels at Port Bell - Luzira Aggrey Ojiambo told Uganda Radio Network in an earlier interview that Uganda Railway Corporation needed about USD 5 million (18.3 billion Shillings) to repair the two marine vessels MV Kaawa and MV Pamba.
The chemicals were loaded and airlifted this morning from Kololo airstrip, by Ministry of Agriculture and Uganda Peoples Defence Forces-UPDF personnel to combat the deadly weevils which have already destroyed hundreds of acres of vegetation, specifically in Okorikeya and Loro villages.
The migratory pests, which were first reported in parts of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, have also been seen in the Ugandan districts of Amudat, Nakapiripirit and Nabilatuk, presenting an unprecedented the threat to food security and livelihoods in the region. A locust swarm of one square kilometre can eat the same amount of food in one day as 35,000 people.
