Kenya receives another Ksh.4.6B loan from World Bank for locust invasion response

Kenya has received an addition Ksh.4,6 billion credit facility to address the locust invasion.

This comes barely a day after the receipt of a Ksh.106.9 billion ($1 billion) budget support loan.

The loan approved from the lender’s International Development Assistance (IDA) kitty is part of the bank’s larger regional emergency locust response project to respond to the threat posed by desert locust outbreak.

The Kenya component of the Emergency Locust Response Project will provide immediate surveillance and locust management measures to halt the spread of the pests and will protect and restore livelihoods by shielding the poor and vulnerable in locust affected areas from human capital and asset loss.

Moreover, the project will prioritize coordination and early warning preparedness interventions by establishing and strengthening a Locust Control Unit (LCU) within the Plant Protection Services Division (PPSD) of the Ministry of Agriculture at the national level to prevent future outbreaks from spiralling out of control.

“Without immediate intervention, the locust attack could lead to a deterioration in food security towards the end of 2020 and possible rise in food prices,” said World Bank Country Director for Kenya, Felipe Jaramillo.

“We are working with other development partners to provide, restore and enhance the livelihoods of affected farmers, pastoralists and vulnerable households that have been affected by the locust attack and are food insecure.”

The loan to Kenya is part of the World Bank Group’s mobilized Ksh.53.4 billion ($500 million) locust response program which seeks to cushion economic impacts arising from the locust damage on value chains.

Combined, World Bank’s financial support over the last two months stand in excess of Ksh.117 billion to include the disbursement of Ksh.5.3 billion ($50 million) to the Ministry of Health in April.