Panic has gripped Bungoma County farmers after desert locusts were spotted in some areas of Kimilili, Tongaren and Mt. Elgon constituencies ahead of the planting season. Bungoma County Agriculture CEC Mathews Makanda says the locusts were spotted in Namboani area of Kimilili constituency as well as Ndalu and Chemoge in Mt. Elgon constituency.
He said the County administration has written a letter to the Ministry of Agriculture requesting them to include Bungoma County as one of the Counties affected by locusts saying they need to dispatch planes to spray the affected areas to help the farmers in the region.
However, he cautioned the residents in the affected areas against eating the locusts saying they may have been sprayed insecticides elsewhere and may be harmful to human beings. He said they are looking forward to working with the national government on the issue saying the farmers should not panic as he is optimistic they will be dealt with before the planting season.
