Kenya suffers worst locust swarms in 70 years

East Africa faces its worst locust outbreak in 70 years, with Kenya hit particularly hard.

Billions of locusts are swarming across the continent, with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations appealing for 76 million US dollars to control the problem.

Kenya's Ministry of Agriculture has mobilised five planes to spray chemicals in Isiolo County in northern Kenya, but despite successes in pushing back around five swarms, more swarms are appearing every week.

Isiolo County is inhabited mostly by farmers who graze their cattle and wildlife, which also attracts tourists.

The outbreak, also affecting parts of Ethiopia and Somalia, could be worsened in the coming weeks with forecasts of fresh rain, which will fuel vegetation growth, leading to a new wave of locusts breeding.

Spraying in Isiolo County has been a challenge, due to its remote location.

A lack of mobile phone signal means its more difficult to coordinate efforts to spray and clear the locusts by aircraft, and reports have been difficult to relay.

"They are destroying the environment because some of these swarms are very big - billions, billions of them. Within six hours and eight hours they suppress and deplete all the pastures and that's a very sad situation especially for the pastoralists (farmers)," said Salat Tutana, who is leading the fight against the locust invasion in Isiolo for Kenya's Agriculture Ministry.