Question Period Note: Locust infestations threaten food security in eastern Africa

The worst Desert Locust outbreak in decades is threatening food security across eastern Africa. FAO has appealed for USD 76 million to control the outbreak.

• Canada is concerned by the impact of Desert Locust infestations on crop production, livelihoods, and food security in eastern Africa

• Canada is providing support to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to help bring the locusts under control

• GAC is monitoring the food security situations in the affected countries and will respond to further humanitarian needs as appropriate.

A serious and widespread Desert Locust outbreak is threatening crops and pasture across several regions worldwide, especially in the Horn of Africa. The Desert Locust is considered the most destructive migratory pest in the world, as it is highly mobile and feeds on large quantities of any kind of green vegetation, including crops, pasture and fodder. Even a very small locust swarm can eat the same amount of food in one day as about 35 000 people. This can be especially devastating in countries facing food security crises, where every gram of food produced counts towards alleviating hunger.

Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia are currently considered the countries worst-affected by the outbreak. Although control operations are underway, tens of thousands of hectares of grazing or farm land have so far been damaged. An estimated 11.9 million people in these countries are already facing acute food shortages due to drought and conflict, with an additional 20.1 million at risk, making any loss of food potentially catastrophic. As these locust swarms continue to grow, there is concern that they could spread to South Sudan and Uganda. Separate infestations also continue to grow along both sides of the Red Sea, threatening Djibouti, Eritrea, Sudan, and Yemen.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has appealed for USD 76 million (approximately CAD 100 million) to cover rapid response and anticipatory action to mitigate the food security risks related to rising locust infestations threatening Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. GAC is considering an appropriate response.

GAC has provided $1 million to FAO to support efforts to control the locust population and protect the livelihoods of affected communities. NOT ANNOUNCED.

Additionally, USD 10 million of the funding to the FAO appeal was allocated from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), a pooled fund to which Canada currently contributes approximately $29 million per year.

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