Desert locusts fight: Uganda’s efforts get boosted with 50,000 litres of pesticide from Bayer

Bayer has boosted Uganda’s efforts in fighting the desert locusts by offering a contribution of 50,000 litres of Aerial Spray Pesticide (Deltamethrin 12.5 Ultra Low Volume) for reinforcement of Desert Locust Control.

The contribution was received at Entebbe International Airport by MAAIF Permanent Secretary Mr. Pius Wakabi Kasajja and Mr. Stephen Byantwale the Commissioner for Crop Protection on behalf of The Inter-Ministerial Task Force for Desert Locust Control.

An official handover and dispatch of these consignments for control of Desert Locusts will take place later this month.

This is part of Bayer’s Locust Control Support for East Africa aiming to provide a total of 170,000 litres of Deltamethrin Ultra Low Volume Pesticide to Kenya and Uganda that have been invaded by locusts.. Uganda is receiving 50,000 litres and Kenya, 120,000 litres.

While receiving the contribution, Pius Wakabi Kasaija, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture, animal industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) thanked Bayer International for coming in rescue to Uganda’s efforts to fight the locusts.

‘’We are very grateful for their contribution. This contribution is equivalent to 50000 litres of Deltamethrin ULV which has been given through FAO. we are grateful to the partners because we believe 50000  will take us a long way in fighting the desert locusts that we have had.  As you might be aware we had challenges in getting chemicals for aerial spray, the chemicals we bought from Japan just arrived this week since march  but  Bayer they came to our rescue and offered 50000 litres which we believe we are going to put to use with immediate effect’’- Pius Wakabi said.

On the unique qualities of Deltamethrin Ultra Low Volume pesticide, Steven Byantwale, the MAAIF Commissioner for crop protection said; ’’ For every hectare of an area covered, you need between one or two litres of this pesticide only, that’s why it’s called ultra low volume  and it can only be used when you have an aircraft or when you have an aerial ultra low volume spray  pump, so it’s one of the most effective ways of controlling  locusts and therefore we are very  grateful to Bayer International and Food Agricultural Organization’’

As described by Cornel Research, Deltamethrin is a pyrethroid insecticide that kills insects, including Desert Locusts, on contact and through digestion. It is used to control apple and pear suckers, plum fruit moth, caterpillars on brassicas, pea moth, aphids (apples, plums, hops), winter moth (apples and plums), codling and tortrix moths (apples).

It is also effective in the control of aphids, mealy bugs, scale insects, and whitefly on glasshouse cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, potted plants, and ornamentals.

It also controls numerous insect pests of field crops. Formulations include emulsifiable concentrates, wettable powders, ULV and flowable formulations and granules. There are no known incompatibilities with other common insecticides and fungicides.

In June, the Minister for Agriculture, Vincent Ssempijja said that the experts still indicated that Uganda has big potential to be invaded by another wave of locusts.

By July, Uganda had spent more than UGX267 billion in loans and donations to fight locusts; Uganda has so far received UGX180 billion from the World Bank, UGX41 Billion from the European Union, UGX11 Billion from the Government of Russia, UGX9.6 billion from Germany, UGX3.7 billion from the Africa Solidarity Trust fund, UGX490 million from United States Agency for International Development (USAID), while some UGX22 Billion was injected by Government of Uganda.

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to benefit people by supporting efforts to overcome the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development, and the Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2019, the Group employed around 104,000 people and had sales of 43.5 billion euros. Capital expenditures amounted to 2.9 billion euros, R&D expenses to 5.3 billion euros