Decis ULV Insecticide donation enables treatment of 170,000 hectares of the most affected fields
Farmers in Kenya and Uganda currently fighting a devastating locust invasion and looming food security crisis are receiving help from Bayer thanks to a donation of 170,000 litres of Decis ULV insecticide. 120,000 litres will be shipped to Kenya and 50,000 litres have already been shipped to Uganda. In both countries, the product will be donated to the local governments to fight the locust swarms. The donation from Bayer, which has a material value of approximately 750,000 Euros, will enable treatment of 170,000 hectares of the most affected fields.
Considered the worst crop pests in the world, locusts ravage everything in their path. According to the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), East Africa fields have fallen victim to the worst locust invasion in 25 years. Earlier this year, the FAO issued a call for insecticides, including Deltamethrin, the active ingredient in Decis ULV which is the only one effective in combating the desert locust. Bayer’s insecticide donation from its Crop Science division will support the fight against these harmful migratory pests which are currently threatening food security in the region.
The Bayer donation addresses an urgent need to act as farmers prepare for the arrival of new swarms. Recent heavy rains are expected to cause a further proliferation of locusts in East Africa that could prove to be even more destructive and spread to other African regions.
“Uganda has had four major invasions and continues to receive more invasions which we work tirelessly to eliminate. We therefore thank Bayer for the donation,” said Hon. Vincent Sempija, Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries. “This will enable us to control the pests entering Uganda through the East, invading mainly 25 districts.”
“Bayer is committed to shaping a more resilient food system that can withstand threats to food security, like the desert locust,” said Liam Condon, President of Bayer’s Crop Science division. “It’s imperative that we get smallholder farmers the tools they need to fight the devastating infestation, feed their families and communities and maintain their livelihoods, while working to build increased resilience in the future.”
A major food issue for millions of people
Earlier this year, the largest swarm that hit Kenya measured 2,400 square kilometers and was made up of 200 billion locusts. The pests consumed nearly 400,000 tons of food every 24 hours which is equivalent to what 84 million people eat each day. Desert Locusts can travel up to 130 kilometers a day in their frantic race to feed and reproduce.
“Logistics are the main issue in such circumstances; making sure that we bring the right product at the right time at the right place is key to support farmers in such a difficult time,” said Sylvestre Jobic, New Venture Lead for Africa in Bayer’s Crop Science division.
Bayer is also partnering with local governments and NGOs for safe utilization of the product. The 170,000 liters of Decis ULV donated to Kenya and Uganda were produced in France, in a Bayer industrial site based in Villefranche Limas that specializes in the formulation, packaging and distribution of plant protection products for farmers.
