Second wave of locust scourge hits parts of Africa

Weeks before the coronavirus spread through much of the world, parts of Africa were already threatened by another kind of plague, the biggest locust outbreak some countries had seen in 70 years.

Now the second wave of the voracious insects, some 20 times the size of the first, is arriving.

Billions of the young desert locusts are winging in, in search of fresh vegetation springing up with seasonal rains. Farmers say the insects are a menace to plants and animals. Millions of already vulnerable people are at risk.

And as they gather to try to combat the locusts, often in vain, they risk spreading the virus — a topic that comes a distant second for many in rural areas. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has called the locust outbreak, caused in part by climate change, "an unprecedented threat" to food security and livelihoods.

Its officials have called this new wave some 20 times the size of the first. The UN has raised its aid appeal from 76 million US dollars to 153 million US dollars, saying immediate action is needed before more rainfall fuels further growth in locust numbers.

So far, the FAO has collected 111 million US dollars in cash or pledges.