Hunger hits Lopit village, as Locusts destroy farm crops

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Hunger hits Lopit village as several crops have been destroyed by desert locusts in Lopa County of Eastern Equatoria State, according to the Payam Chief.

In a telephone interview with Radio Emmanuel, Imehejek Payam Chief, Robert Ojok, says the locusts invaded the farms in the last six days in Lopit village of the state.

“Our problem, we cultivated crops well, but now these locusts have destroyed the gardens. In the past, there were some cultural practices done to destroy locusts, but now those practices are no longer there and it’s too late”, said Ojok.

The chief adds that the community is faced with hunger as all their produce has been destroyed.

He calls for food assistance to rescue the village from the situation.

“These locusts destroyed the Lopit land in general and the gardens are now completely destroyed and hunger is in the entire land of Lopit. There is no garden that has not been destroyed. These [crops] are finished within these six days. We don’t have something to eat, we are asking you [well-wishers and government] to help, with food because the whole of Lopit will not be able to go somewhere for help, Chief, Ojok appealed”.

In February 2020, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization or FAO, confirmed the arrival of desert locusts in Magwi, South Sudan.

Locusts are the oldest migratory pest in the world.

They differ from ordinary grasshoppers in their ability to change behaviour and form swarms that can migrate over large distances.

They have a high capacity to multiply, form groups, migrate over relatively large distances.

The insects can fly up to 150 km per day and if there is good rain fall and ecological conditions, become favourable, rapidly reproduce and increase some 20-fold in three months.