Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he is taking to support countries in Africa affected by swarms of desert locusts.

We are deeply concerned about the devastating locust outbreak in East Africa. It is destroying crops, livelihoods and essential food supplies.

The UK has contributed £7 million to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Regional Emergency Appeal for the spraying of pesticides on the ground and by air to control the locust outbreak. In addition, DFID’s existing humanitarian and development programmes in the region are working to address food insecurity and poverty challenges by flexing to respond to this crisis. As rising temperatures due to climate change make such events across Africa more likely, we are also helping communities adapt longer term to climate shocks.

Our support is having an immediate impact, and we continue to monitor the situation closely and stand ready to help further.