Somaliland govt warns of the threat of locusts on next year’s crops

SOMALILAND.COM – Somaliland’s government has expressed fears that the cycle of locust invasions in some parts of the country could repeat in the next rainy season.

This is due to the locusts leaving behind wingless nymphs who could begin swamping in the next rainy season.

Locust has flown away but left its nymphs, says a Somali proverb referring to the consequences of a disaster that is likely to reemerge. That’s the fears of Somaliland’s government today in the form of the literal meaning of the proverb.

The minister of agriculture, Ahmed Mumin Seed said that they fear aa nation-wide disaster brought on by the nymphs left behind by the locusts swarms that stripped fields and damaged crops last year.  He added that some of the nymphs have already been spotted in some coastal areas. 

You know in June last year, a swarm of locusts has hit us. It had migrated but not before leaving nymphs. The nymphs will grow when the rainy season starts on March twenty-five. The nymphs are now recorded in the coastal areas of Somaliland such as Saylac. We are informing our partners that these nymphs are waiting for the first drops of rain to hatch — and that if it does so, it will bring on us a great deal of damage. 

Minister Seed

In a press conference on Tuesday, minister Seed called on the international and local organizations to assist them to tackle this issue head-on. He also urged the public to inform the authorities of any sighting of the locust-to-be- nymphs while announcing a coming conference on this issue. 

On the other hand, Minister Mumin Seed announced that the nation’s agricultural output increased by 67 percent in the last two years compared to the previous five. He affirmed that all the regions of the country have enough crops in stock for this year.