A month ago, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimated the cost of fighting locust invasion in East Africa at $76 million. Today, estimates have risen to $138 million due to the fast spread of the pests.

FAO says it urgently needs the amount to support control actions in the region, especially in the next four months. “The upsurge is threatening people's livelihoods and food security in a region that is already seriously food insecure. There is no time to waste,” said Qu Dongyu, FAO MD. 

The organization indicated that only $33 million has been received or committed so far while “each day, more countries are affected.” According to the World Food Program (WFP), the cost of tackling food security caused by locusts is 15 times higher than the amount needed to prevent their spread.