Uganda has received a consignment of big trucks, spray equipment and bikes from Food and Agriculture Organization and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Uganda to build the country’s readiness to respond to any future desert locusts invasion.

The equipment was received by Minister incharge of Agriculture, Frank K. Tumwebaze.

“Happy to receive this morning a consignment of big trucks, spray equipment & bikes donated to @MAAIF_Uganda by @FAOUganda @JicaUganda to build our readiness to respond to any future desert locusts invasion. I thank the partners for this gesture of good will & friendship,”

Tumwebaze tweeted.

The Minister said the equipment will be manned by Ministry of Agriculture’s crop protection department. He added that in the absence of locusts, the equipment will be used to protect crops like fighting quelea birds that destroy crops. He said the donated equipment is worth US$12m (Shs42.4bn).

The donated items include;

1. 22 motorcycles donated by JICA Uganda.
2. 1 double cabin pickup.
3. 1 single cabin pickup.
4. 236 surveillance kits.
5. 50 pieces of ULV spray pumps.
6. 2 mobile storage facilities.
7. 1 Toyota Landcruiser (SUV) all donated by FAOUganda.

“As you are aware, Uganda had five waves of Desert Locust invasions from 9th February, 2020 up to October,2020. The locusts invaded through Amudat and Moroto from Kenya. They further spread into 26 districts of Karamoja, Teso, Lango,Acholi, sebei and Bugisu region,” Tumwebaze said.

The last swarms of the insects were sighted in Karenga and Kaabong districts in September, 2020.

In May 2020, the World Bank approved $160m (£130m) for Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda in the form of grants and low-interest loans to help farmers and herders impacted by the invasions.