The Food and Agriculture Ministry has warned of an invasion of a new crop pest, the Dessert Locust which could cause huge negative impact on the country’s food security.

According to the ministry, the pest is more destructive than the Fall Armyworm pests which caused huge devastation a few years ago.

A very small swam of this pest eats the same amount of food in one day as about 35,000 people, JoyNews’ Joseph Opoku Gakpo reported.

In a letter to Agricultural Directors across the country, Director of the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Division, Dr. Felicia Ansah Amprofi said the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has warned the pests are moving from East Africa towards West Africa.

The Directors are being tasked to strengthen surveillance in the areas of jurisdiction to prevent the Dessert Locust from destroying farms across the country.

Listen to the report below