IGAD Ministerial Meeting on Desert Locust and Pest Management Opens in Nairobi

Today, the Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, inaugurated a ministerial meeting focused on the Inter-Regional Platform for Sustainable Management of Desert Locusts and Other Trans-boundary Pests. The meeting underscores the critical need for regional cooperation to enhance early warning systems, mitigation strategies, and adaptation measures in the face of growing threats from desert locusts, trans-boundary pests, and climate change.

Dr. Gebeyehu emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts, stating, “The challenges posed by desert locusts, trans-boundary pests, and climate change know no borders, and neither should our efforts to address these calamities. IGAD will continue to provide a platform for member states to collaborate and coordinate for the betterment of all.”

The ministerial meeting brings together Ministers responsible for Agriculture, Livestock, and Environment from IGAD member states, along with their representatives, to discuss and formulate joint strategies for sustainable pest management.

Following the three-day ministerial meetings, a one-day training session will be held for plant protection experts and officers from IGAD member states.

This session will focus on the application and regulations of biopesticides, aiming to equip participants with the latest knowledge and techniques for effective pest control.