Response to Desert Locust Disaster in Ethiopia The current locust crisis in the Horn of Africa is the worst outbreak of locusts in over 25 years in Ethiopia and
Somalia and the worst observed in over 70 years in Kenya. The situation rapidly deteriorated in January 2020 as
weather conditions have been unusually conducive to the spread of the pest. These conditions will allow
breeding until June 2020 and could lead to 500 times more locusts, with the formation of large numbers of
swarms.
Desert locusts are expected to continue to breed and spread during the coming months. Given their life cycle,
the March-April start of the long rains, coinciding with a regeneration of rangeland and the start of planting
activities, will enable a new wave of breeding and further spread of the pest. Desert locusts have already
reached northern Uganda, and looking forward, the infestation could: 1) spread further into the Rift Valley
(especially in Ethiopia), as well as to South Sudan, 2) affect the 2020 main and secondary staple cropping
seasons, and 3) continue to affect rangeland across the region.
The desert locust is considered the most destructive migratory pest in the world as it is highly mobile and feeds
on large quantities of any kind of green vegetation, including crops, pasture and fodder. A typical swarm can be
made up of 150 million locusts per square kilometre and is carried on the wind, up to 150 km in one day. Even a
very small, 1 km2 locust swarm (approx. 40 million desert locusts) can eat the same amount of food in one day
as about 35 000 people. This can be especially devastating in areas where food security is poor and, where
every gram of food produced counts towards minimizing gaps in a family’s food consumption.
Currently, the region faces widespread food insecurity. In Ethiopia, an estimated 8.5 million people are severely
food insecure, Phase 3 and above, according to IPC between February and June 2020. In Somalia, from February
to September 2020, the population in IPC Phases 3 (Crisis) and 4 (Emergency) is expected to rise by 40 percent,
from 1.1 million to 1.6 million people. Drivers of this food insecurity include climate shocks, conflict, and
macroeconomic crises. 

Ethiopia has been responding to the current swarm invasions since July 2019. To date, hopper bands have
covered more than 429 km² of the country. Two generations of breeding have caused large numbers of swarms
to form and move to Kenya and Somalia. In January 2020, the swarms were also seen moving towards the Rift
Valley in Ethiopia and Kenya’s breadbasket. This would pose a serious threat, especially as Ethiopia already has
an estimated 8.5 million people facing severe food insecurity. In Somalia, where 6.7 million people are now
regarded as acutely food insecure (IPC Phase 2 and above), swarms bred in the north of the country and have
moved mainly to central and southern regions. The pest is affecting pasture and threatening staple food crops
in rural areas. Insecurity and a lack of national capacity have hampered control operations. The Somalia Food
Security Cluster showed their findings in a presentation; the number of people affected was shown as over 2.5
million (21% of Somalia’s population) and especially pastoralist, agro-pastoralist, riverine and IDPs are affected The key objective of the Acute Joint Response in locust-affected Ethiopia and Somalia is to provide life-saving
assistance to people facing severe food insecurity. The design of the intervention is based on the sectors directly
related to the locust infestation (FSL + MPC), in line with the cluster recommendations, based on the expertise
of partners and complementarity with other ongoing interventions. The intervention will target the most
vulnerable HHs, to improve direct access to food, protect and rebuild livelihoods, which contributes to the
structural approach addressing the infestation. All responses are adapted to the current COVID-19 pandemic, and
activities are carried out in a way to minimise risk to both staff and beneficiaries and reduce the spread. Most
interventions incorporate activities to raise awareness on hygiene and disease prevention, and in some cases
respond directly with additional Health and WASH interventions. Partners will work in rural as well as urban
areas, depending on the locally identified needs. Across all areas, relevant cluster, SPHERE, and CHS standards
are followed The Desert Locust Joint Response has targeted a total of 215.455 beneficiaries (without double counting).
The DLJR is targeting the population in Locust affected IPC3 and IPC3+, in the most food insecure areas of Nugal,
Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer & Sool (Somalia) and Dire Dawa, Oromia & Somali (Ethiopia). Women and
children are disproportionately affected, and special efforts will be made to reach the most vulnerable women
and children including PLW and children under the age of 5.
The division of targeted, direct beneficiaries per sector is as follows: 

* Food Security & Livelihoods 66.080
* WASH 142.315
* Health 200
* Multi-purpose cash 37.762
* Accountability 1.862