“No harm done,” Magwi residents vow to turn invading locusts into delicious meals
A South Sudanese woman dries swarms of locusts before turning them into delicious food (Photo: File)
February 21, 2020 (SSNN)—Residents of Magwi have assured and urged members of the public not to be terrified and alarmed by insects that entered South Sudan via Magwi, vowing to resist and fight back at the invasive locusts, by turning them into delicious meals.
“There’s no harm done, we are going to turn them into delicious food,” Rebecca Dunia, a resident of Magwi was quoted by the local media as saying.
Earlier this week, billions of desert locusts entered South Sudan through through Magwi in then Eastern Equatoria State which borders Uganda, terrifying members of the public.
The spread of the insects into South Sudan was officially confirmed by the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Onyoti Adigo
“We received a report on Monday that the desert locusts have entered South Sudan through Magwi County.
“At first, we thought that it was the normal green grasshopper like it has been reported earlier but the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) team that was sent there confirmed to us the presence of the locusts,” he said.
Locusts are edible
Locusts are a type of insect from the family Acrididae and also are known as grasshoppers. Locusts swarm in huge numbers and can travel great distances, causing considerable damage to crops. However, in many African, Middle Eastern and Asian countries, locusts are considered a delicacy and eaten in abundance.
Most of the time, they are prepared in numerous ways, ranging from dried to smoked to fried.
What spurred the breeding of the locusts in East Africa and the Horn of Africa?
Their breeding of the desert locusts is believed to have been encouraged by unusual rainfalls that the region has ever experienced in forty years.
On Wednesday, the United States pledged to provide $8 million in humanitarian assistance to support East African countries devastated by the locusts.
“In response to the outbreak of desert locusts in East Africa, the United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will be providing $8 million in humanitarian assistance to support regional operations to control locusts in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Republic of Kenya, and the Federal Republic of Somalia. By helping to reduce the size of the swarms, this aid is expected to have a positive impact on affected communities throughout the Horn of Africa,” said the United States.
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