East Africa: Climatic conditions drive expansion of locust swarm increasing threats to food security

Locust swarms are devasting agriculture across Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, with some communities reporting 100% crop loss and Somalia announcing a state of emergency. These swarms are now spreading into South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and most recently into the Democratic Republic of Congo. This will significantly elevate threats to food security in a region where in October 2019 aid agencies recorded 13 million people facing critical levels of hunger, likely driving domestic unrest, particularly in Ethiopia ahead of elections in August.

 Key points include:

• The impact of climatic conditions on the growth of locust swarms
• The trajectory of the development of the current swarms
• The impact on food security, inflation and domestic unrest