 We meet all vegetation that we know of, all farmland crops that are growing and it is very very important for the government or relevant authorities to take very very serious measures to mitigate against the problem but what I want to say from the beginning is that there is a link between this invasion and climate change. Climate change for those who do not know is the sudden erratic change in normal climatic patterns. For a period of between 25 and 30 years there is a way you observe, our farmers observe, especially government observe how patterns of the weather go that we have between this period and this period is rainfall. This period is sunshine and probably short rains and things like that. But what is happening for the past couple of years going to a few decades is a change in climate. Quite honestly this is January. Today I think it's January 12th. It has been raining cats and dogs since last night. This is January we are supposed to be having experiencing a lot of sun. So this erratic change in the patterns in the weather is what causes climate change and it's a very very serious concern and a lot has been said about it and we will continue to talk about it but it is important for relevant authorities to take action. And climate change comes with three aspects. Adaptation, mitigation and resilience. So basically what that means is that we need to adapt that if we are having rainfall in January how are we adapting, what information are we getting so that we can deal with it. Mitigating. Mitigating is intervening in the aspects that cause for which climate change is brought about. For example lokas invasion. We will discuss about the link between climate change and lokas invasion. Floods, mudslides in other countries are not more snow in wildfires like what we are experiencing in Australia right now. So how do you mitigate? Then we have resilience. Resilience now is the mitigation long term. How do we deal with it period of time? How are we able to deal with a certain weather pattern that we have not been experiencing? How are we going to be resilient to Tavumilia Vibi? So back to what you asked me. The link between climate change and the lokas invasion. I would like to take you back a few years ago back in 2013. Countries in the Sahel and the African Sahel is the belt up there that borders the Sahara desert and Sub-Saharan Africa. Like you've said, I work with these people who deal so much with Sub-Saharan Africa. So the African Sahel are the band of countries that are forming up there along the Sahara desert at the border before we begin Sub-Saharan Africa. We have Bukina Faso, Mali, Niger, Chad all the way to Djibouti. So these countries up there have been grappling a lot of time with lokas invasion. Mauritania for example, Chad and even Nigeria are still smatting from the effects of a lokas invasion that came for the period between 2003 to 2013. There was a very, very serious problem at that time. It was almost declared a disaster and the United Nations even warned. And also at that time in 2013 they did warn that this invasion would come to these countries down here. So basically what we are saying is that these countries experienced such an invasion where swarms of lokas set upon crops, vegetation. These countries are up there in the desert area, dry area. So the effects of that hunger are still being felt to date. So what is an invasion there for? What are we talking about? A grasshopper and a lokas are two insects that are the same. However, a lokas has shorter antennae, it's a little bit larger. The other characteristics that differentiates between the two is the fact that the grasshopper is a solitary insect. It grows alone. Even as you continue defining what a lokas is, those of you are posting pictures of individuals assuming they are lokas, please. This is the definition of what a lokas is. Yes, so a grasshopper is a little bit smaller and it acts solitary. When we were young people, we used to call them odd day day and we would catch them. Those are the grasshoppers on the grass. But now the lokas as short antennae is a little bit larger. Yes, as you can see it is a little bit larger than they act in swamps. So why do they invade? What happens? So there was a lot of erratic rainfall October, November, December. For the first time drought seeking in areas in northeastern received a lot of rainfall, wajia areas like that. So when it rains then there is poradic growth of vegetation. All of a sudden we start seeing grass, the shrubs are growing, the kajia trees and there is so much to eat. So serotonin in this insect's small brain triggers that I don't know if it is a... I wouldn't know because I am not an insect expert but I wouldn't know if it is an instinct or it is a call to mate like the cows and these other mammals and other animals. But it triggers and then it begins to multiply. And then the term they use they become gregarious, they become active. Once they become active now they begin to gather in swamps, begin to invade. A swamp can be between 5 up to 50 million. Alright and since it is a link between with climate change as a country in the East African region, how do we find ourselves here? Not really finding ourselves here because these swamps are coming from up there in Somalia. Is the climate change in the country like Kenya for example as a result of a human era or something? Climate change as a whole globally. We are in an age we like to call the anthropocene or anthropogenic era or age whereby the changes in our world, in our globe, in our earth are squarely responsible. I mean have squarely been caused by activity by man. Mankind might not really cause the changing of climate rapidly but we are a catalyst and a major catalyst. And basically the climate change if you want to understand it in simple terms because climate change is the phenomena that comes out of something else. This something else is the warming of the globe. Others are calling it global warming, others are saying it is a hoax. But increase in temperature which is caused by burning of fossil fuel and fossil fuel is the oil that we use, the petroleum. Kusas greenhouse gas effects or rather a greenhouse effect whereby a lot of heat is trapped in the atmosphere and it cannot go. So what happens it is concentrated here just like the way you would use a greenhouse to catalyze the growth of a certain crop. So what happens all this energy that is in the atmosphere has to go somewhere. So what happens our oceans absorb it, our soil our surfaces absorb it. What happens therefore is that temperatures spike and when temperatures are spike for example in the ocean, a heating up ocean of course is going to change the way the atmosphere acts or behaves. And with that we begin to see a lot of rainfall. Why do we see a lot of rainfall? Because of this heat that is trapped in the ocean evaporation happens. A lot of moisture is trapped in the atmosphere and it has to go somewhere. So this rain for example is something that has come from the Indian Ocean. It is something that was not expected. And we are going to see a lot of this. So to answer your question we got ourselves here because of many many years of human activity that is causing a change in our climate. When you burn fuel in China and India and you cut trees in Canada and Mao for example, then you interfere with the natural nature of things. We got to show to you and began mentioning how this insects consume. And now we have been experiencing grains and of course those eastern parts of Kenya they have the grains that is the food. Now these insects have come. They will only eat the grains that we have. How much damage do they cause? We started hearing reports that the invasion is in Meiru. If I was in a position of authority I would begin to prepare to declare this a disaster. There could be five counties now. Yes, yes and they are still coming. A locust invasion is a serious thing. A locust invasion can cause drought and toad suffering. Keeping in mind that the rains began in October which is harvest time a lot of crop was destroyed in the farms. Whatever little that is left is being consumed by this locust. We might not have any food to eat for a very very long time. And I want to use an analogy though it is not very very popular. Locust invasion was a plague in the Bible as well. These things eat vegetation, they eat crops, they eat what we are supposed to consume to feed on and we remain hungry. So this is a very serious matter. The government should do something short of declaring it a national disaster because as you can see these are millions. Keeping in mind this thing consumes I think half when it eats it can eat up to half its own weight. Yes, actually according to the report that was released by the CS agriculture they can eat one ton and they can eat about one ton of food enough to feed 2500 people. To the extent a locust invasion of this nature or a serious locust invasion can decimate farms that sustain up to 35,000 people in a week. So multiply that. Keeping in mind that if they started at 20 million here in Wajia they are still laying eggs, they are still hatching, they are still moving on. And remember the lifespan of this is between one month and one week lifespan. So they are rapidly multiplying and they are in our farms and they are finishing as they do. I would like us to listen in to what the CS said during the press conference in regards to the locust invasion and how they are planning into how to mitigate them. Because since you have mentioned it's a serious crisis that should be mentioned as a crisis to be seen. So let's listen in to what the CS said. That must be fought through a regional strategy to ensure that they are attacked from the arresting habitats. Unfortunately because of insecurity in some of our neighbouring countries it has been difficult to fight and prevent their migration. We need to be very alert especially in the evenings. From about 4, 5 up to 6 they can now locate them because definitely at allowed 6 they are going to rest. And at that point whoever locates them should be able to report their area shift or the village order. Subsequently they are going to communicate to their county commissioners. That must be fought through a regional strategy to ensure that they are attacked from the arresting habitats. Unfortunately because of insecurity in some of our neighbouring countries it has been difficult to fight and prevent their migration. We need to be very alert especially in the evenings, from about 4, 5 up to 6, they can now locate them because definitely at allowed 6 they are going to rest and at that point whoever locates them should be able to report their area shift or the village order. Subsequently they are going to communicate to your county commissioners and with our comad center now we are able to know exactly we can send somebody with the enough information to take the coordinates and that way we shall be able to hit them immediately. So this is what the CES was saying something that is interesting they rest at 6 and that's a time to attack them. How serious is this? It may seem like a joke but well even you if you eat too much at some point you'll sleep isn't it or you will rest. And yeah they fly or rather they invade and consume and rest. So when they are in their latent position that is the best time to attack but now how are we attacking? Yeah that's the now the question because we see them the tiagas being used we've seen others running with some to scare them so how are we chasing them or how we will kill them now. The only way to deal with this is when it's like the minister is saying when they are in their latency position when they are resting that is the best time to attack. However you cannot attack using spray handheld or those you scare you scare you know if you scare and it leaves this bush it will go to this other bush what you need to do is to to destroy them to kill them and I want to say something that is very very important and I wonder who's because he has used the one strategy I don't know who's ahead in this strategy during national days as recent as demori day on 12th of December we normally see these planes that are training our KDF pilots and this aircraft there are some that even produce an air display of rangia yesterday yeah bandera true you know the green the black the white very very colorful wonderful display we've also read in the press that our country has acquired crop dusters that train our pilot an aircraft that is a crop duster is logically saying that these are the aircrafts that use to spread herbicides in large farms why can't we deploy some of these resources to deal with this phenomenon once and for all what we need to do is to ask the people probably who are living around there to move a bit or to to migrate for a moment for a few weeks right then a full scale attack even choppers I think if if this the pesticide is being dropped from above or you know blanket blanket powering of of pesticide I think they would they would deal with this this this this the miss once and for all now speaking of spring we are experiencing rains can that chemical be effective with the rains or I wouldn't know about the pesticide that is relevant to use and if it is soluble in the rain or effective but I would say if it is in powder form I don't know how how or in in liquid form then it would be prudent therefore to use it regardless but right now I don't think there's much rain that's going on up there the weather the rains have settled and it would be very very easy without any interruption yes also these things are also aided to fly or to move with the wind so if we know where the wind is blowing then we could attack probably anticipate them and then deal with them like that because they are a swarm we also attack them using sophisticated equipment from above aerial yes now someone would argue they're in the north eastern and maybe probably the greens out there are the akishas do they have a specific plan that they will invade and speaking of if they're coming to other parts of the country like Meru they grow mera are we seeing an economic crisis are locusts that's why they're using the word invasion what you're going to invade in case well if I may say so that we can understand now mutumana vami amakituya na vami wa you don't leave anything behind that's why they move they finish they do not have a ah ah ah ah ah ah a favorite a probably it says kumawiki is a favorite but I don't know but these things as long as they are leaves as long as this green vegetation all right then they will so then Meru uh me Meru we have Moguka and what is this Mira of course if Mira firms If we meet this lokas, that is a crop that this country exports to these countries and it makes foreign exchange for our economy. Of course it's something, like I've told you, Hillary, this thing needs to be declared short of a serious disaster. In the report, the CSO has mentioned that there's a likelihood they would spread to Uganda and they're also working with the authorities in Uganda to ensure that they mitigate them from this end. Now, other than spring and water view, what else can we do? For now, spring is the best option. You know, it's not a disease that spreads, it's not an airborne disease, nor is it a waterborne, nor is it transmitted in other way. These are insects that are invading crop. So, concerted efforts to meet them before they recede inward. Because our country is here, Uganda is here, that is not southeast. So, if he's saying that they are moving eastwards, that would mean maybe because of the wind they are moving that way. As a Kenyan, I would say, well, let it be Uganda's problem. But again, you wouldn't wish it to be any other person's problem. So, if we can deal with them fast, quick, because we have the resources. I have seen in this report that Marsabit and Garisa in the next schedule of aerial spray. Why can't it be all these counties where these things, yes, but most importantly is to remember one thing. That because of climate change and the patterns that are changing and the way we are seeing things are moving. Kenya, just like the other countries in the Sahel, should also put policy. Because now we officially are locust invasion territory of region. Because if they came from Somalia, then they are likely to come again another time. So, this spraying I think to me appears to be a short-term plan. What about in the future? Like he has said, because of his security in Somalia, the source could have been maybe dealt with. I don't know what he meant. But you see, an organism has to have food. If it has food, then it has a habitat. Then if it has a habitat, then it can reproduce. So, if indeed there's a source where they've come from, I wouldn't know. It would be prudent to deal with them at the source. But I think we have become a source as well. Because I'm thinking these locusts, they are the parasite and our counties, our farms are the habitat. And therefore, long term, is when we've dealt with the problem and the vegetation is gone. And the gregariousness of the insect has also dissipated. Therefore, then it would mean they go back to being solitary. And when, because there's even a thing that says they have come before a storm. So, we can wait for, we continue the problem. Then when it has come before another hurricane, we mean the eye of the hurricane, then we can destroy the sabitans. Not sabitans destroy their nesting areas and things of that nature. Itomologists, experts of insect science can tell us what to do about that. Again, as they say, they have a lifespan of six months. As swarms, yes. As swarms, they have a lifespan of six months. And already we are seeing as swarms. Are they still multiplying or it's just the problem that came? Yes, what I want you to understand is that when this thing moves, it eats. When it eats, it flourishes. When it flourishes, of course it has to do what? To reproduce some more. So yes, that is why they are seeing the span of a swarm in six months. Probably whoever came up with that or whatever research has been done, then it would mean it would take six months for there to be no food anymore for these things to eat so that then the numbers begin to reduce. But ultimately, what we may need to do, it's not a joke about it, is to deal with this as if it is an invading army. It's as if there are troops that are coming to you know, there is a war. It's something more interesting other than the memes that have been posted online by our fellow citizens. Others believe it's a delicacy. Now why can't we harvest all these and have a meal? It has been said indeed that it could be a delicacy. But where is it a delicacy? I'm thinking probably Wajia and Mandera, Marcibit, those areas, they do not eat these things, but they could be harvested. So are you saying we wait till they reach Kakomega so that because I think western areas... Yes, they are quite porka. But it should be told. Is it something that maybe can be harvested and we make money out of it? Yes, they could be... They could be made to be... They could be harvested and eaten, but more importantly, they are rich in protein and some of those rare salts. Because of that, they could even be used as animal feed. They could also be... But in the landscape forum, in a changing climate, where landscapes are also changing and by landscape what we mean is the land area where new things are growing, where we are having new things surviving, habitats being restored and landscapes being restored. What is important to understand is that this is something that thrives and this is something that can be eaten. And this is something that can be made to be food. What we are saying is that it is not something... It is an invasion. Like an invasive species that is an enemy that we need to deal with it. I do not know what it's a locust so that we could introduce something in the food chain that will deal with them, but then the problem would be if you introduced something in the hierarchy of the food chain that is higher than the locust that would eat the locust, what about if that thing multiplies again and we cannot be able to control probably a certain bird, a predator bird that eats, survives on locusts, we can introduce that, that's also another way so that they eat these things. But then when these things are finished, then what do those things eat? What appears here to be the chain in the ecosystem is the human being. Well, yes, that is wonderful, that is great. But how do we harvest? It's not a joke really. It's not a joke. It's very good food. Yes, we could catch the musignets and we eat them. Okay, I know you said you're not an expert in insect science. Yes, insect science, yes. But now, have they harmful because someone say in Nairobi, they are like those days, are they harmful to the humans? No, the minister said that he is the one who posts. Then they will come. These things have elicited a lot of interest and many people on the lookout. And we might be joking about these things but from what I know is that, no, we hunted these things when we were young children, those days, no, this is not. I saw somewhere to the extent that you can pick it and even eat it just like that. Yes, four. We could eat them, well, that's also another. That's something I wouldn't do. Maybe as we conclude in terms of the global aspect we have fires in Australia. It's something that has been there for months. It's taken off climate change. What caused this fire? I have already said earlier that climate change is something that we are not going back on. Climate change is a science or is a phenomenon that has been existed for the past. It's very new. Less than 30 years ago is when we began to notice. But you've heard some myths folding back about this climate change including a recent one where Antonio Guterres, the secretary general was saying it's now serious we need to get to a point of maybe ending it. How did we get there? The first formal meeting that was done about this and the word global warming was spoken about. Interestingly, Lafizia in Kenya in 1977 was also said by UNEP but we began to have serious meetings in 1992 Reo declaration that was the forerunner to what we had in the year 2000 as the millennium declaration about climate change. To compound on that we have enough documentation we have enough policy we have enough research that has been done to demonstrate that this is something that you cannot run away from. Right now in Australia like you've mentioned there are fires that they are seeing 2.3 million hectares of land have been burnt up to 1 billion animals have been lost to the extent that they are seeing the boom but and the koala trillions of animals could be extinct. Many theories have been fronted but the most probable one they call it the Indian Ocean Dipole and by the Indian Ocean Dipole it means that there are two competing phenomena in that ocean that there are areas of cold water areas of hot water the convergence of winds in the ocean are causing some areas the areas of higher temperature as compared to other areas so when your land is near an area of cold water then you are likely to have drought. When your waters are hot and they are evaporating and they are carrying moisture into the atmosphere and the winds are carrying that water into land you are likely to have rain so assuming this is our globe and this is the ocean and Kenya is here, Australia is here our waters are hot or warm and are evaporating and they are concentrating moisture in the atmosphere which is being carried inland to form rain which is falling like serious terrible rain and the difference is up in here because here this cold water is not evaporating this cold water is not becoming moisture it's not being trapped in the clouds and then there is a lot of drought here so this is why the wildfires are and that's what is happening in Australia having said that wildfires are caused by something as minute and mundane as a cigarette but you know you smoke and you throw that thing and this drought in this area and the fires are all over and they are uncontrollable while at the same time we have uncontrollable what rainfall isn't that testament that we have a changing climate because there is no balance we've had terrible rains to the extent when we let our forecast nuku, iko jua kali kabisa na inachoma well that's very serious maybe you'll find words coming back now to Kenya do you feel as the statement by the CST of agriculture do you think we are doing enough it's been weeks now just last night it was mentioned some other parts in Mandera again so we still have a problem what I want to say is that a successful scientific activity is through observation and the only way we are observing for some of us is through agents in the media like Huw who are beaming and showing I'm not on the ground to see the efforts, the mitigation factors that are being done I've seen there is a plane that is on standby that is spraying but a lot needs to be done so what I would say is like what I said when I was in the beginning this is something that needs to be declared a national crisis short of what a disaster and I would say as somebody who is in this area of climate change is that a lot needs to be done to be written, to be researched this country has a climate change policy I think we need to be taught in schools probably even in the universities because it is there we have an agenda and in conclusion I don't know do you want me to make my final remarks I would want you and as you conclude please tell me about the NAK1 concept Yes, like I said we are involved in research so what we do is international relations international development and climate change climate change today has become a science that is a discipline on its own in fact there are universities around the world in advanced countries that are teaching climate change as a course I think in our country probably we have it as a bachelor's degree so what we do there is we advise policy like what I've done here today we write, we do research on these three disciplines international relations, international development and climate change I can talk about loka's invasion and I can also talk about Iran and I can also talk about how Kenya is 60% that poor so at NAK1 we produce reports we do research we do trainings seminars so that we can sensitize government regional governments and countries individuals enthusiasts and people who are interested in these three areas, these disciplines even journalists on what is happening and what is emerging and we are very very proud because we even consult for people who are abroad in Europe like the Euphrican thing that we do it's an organization that is domiciled in Munich Germany and what we do is that we advise on African policy on their behalf we are on the ground, we are seeing loka's invasion we write reports and tell them about loka's invasion and then from that that perspective pedestal, they can be able to to see what maybe either invest or whatever alright, there's a question coming in whether killing a loka's will have any effect to the environment no, not really it is because they will spray is this oh yes I know I know the perspective for which you are asking earlier on in the 19th the 20th century the late 70s I mean the 70s, 80s we had pesticides that were harmful to both animal and human you would spray it on cabbage or vegetation the herbicide or even the pesticide and it would be harmful but research has given us better a newer medicines, new pesticides so I don't really think or maybe we don't know what this country is so much happens tomorrow the wrong happen maybe they have something that is harmful but from where I sit right now in this age and time I don't think there's anything anything that could be harmful but of course there's no chemical that is useful when you ingest of course even toothpaste is not good when you ingest alright thank you so much for coming and your idea and information in regards to the climate change it's quite profound you have learnt something he has been my guest again a reminder he is quite a person with contributing profile he is a climate change advisor for Sub Saharan Africa African business network based in Germany is also climate change research contributor for the UN affiliated global landscapes he must be very troubled thank you so much for coming and back many thanks for keeping us company I'm hoping you have learnt something and please you've known now what a locust is and they make people local because we are human beings thank you so much my name is Deva Hillary stay tuned value be up with man crush that is stay tuned