Residents of Wajir County have been left counting losses after locusts invaded areas of the county. The farmers residing in the affected parts of the Wajir County have called for immediate and urgent help in fighting the insects.
According to the residents, they have been forced to use short term measures to keep the swarm of locusts away. The efforts have apparently not borne major results hence creating a crisis in the county.
The destruction caused by the insects is said to be worsening with each passing day. The insects which move around in swarms are extremely destructive and can damage a large area of land with green vegetation within a short period of time.
"Millions of locusts have invaded and destroyed large kilometres of grazing land. Residents have tried their best. They have applied all locally available mechanisms including scaring away," Abdihaziz Adan, a resident of Wajir County said.
Residents in cooperation with police officers have been forced to guard grazing fields in the county.
Further reports indicate that destructive insects originated from Ethiopia, then moved to Somalia before coming to Kenya.
Mandera county has also been affected by the invasion. Experts have advised the county government to use an aerial spray of insecticides to keep the locusts away.