第2980期:Locusts are devouring crops in East Africa

Farmers in Turkana Kenya face an existential crisis.肯尼亚图尔卡纳的农民面临着生存危机。For much of the past year out-of-control swarms of locusts have rampaged through this impoverished region,过去一年的大部分时间里，失控的蝗虫群在这片贫困地区肆虐，啃食大片庄稼，eating fields of crops and leaving little to sell or feed the farm animals.几乎没留下什么可以出售或喂养家畜的东西。Our elders talked about desert locusts, but this is the first time I've seen them.我们的长辈们谈论过沙漠蝗虫，但这是我第一次见到它们。A mother of seven Anna Amurai says locusts deprive animals of the food they need to produce the milk she serves to her family.七个孩子的母亲Anna Amurai说，蝗虫夺走了牲畜产奶所需的食物，而她正是用这些奶来供养家人的。It takes several days and we add water to the milk to make enough for the children.有好几天，我们在牛奶里加水，才够孩子们喝。Locusts have so far eaten as much as 20 percent of the crops in this region,截至目前，蝗虫已吃掉该地区多达20%的农作物，prompting the UN Food and Agriculture Organization to train local youth to monitor and report on locust migrations.促使联合国粮食及农业组织培训当地青年监测和汇报蝗虫的迁徙情况。Pastor and local livestock organization member Moses Areng cautiously puts hope in faith.牧师和当地家畜组织成员Moses Areng谨慎地将希望寄托于信仰。I know if the desert locusts disappear, and God gives us a little bit of rain, the pasture will return.如果沙漠蝗虫消失了，上天再降下一点雨水，牧场就会恢复生机。But if it doesn't rain for a month and the hoppers finish the pasture, the livestock will suffer and die from hunger and disease.但如果一个月不下雨，蝗虫吃光牧场，牲畜就会受苦受难，死于饥饿和疾病。Local agriculture officials say farmers alone cannot solve the locust infestation.当地农业官员说，仅靠农民无法解决蝗灾问题。They're calling for aid from the government and non-profit groups.他们呼吁政府和非营利组织提供援助。If more isn't done fast, experts say the people in East Africa could face food insecurity by December. 专家说，如果不尽快采取更多措施，东非人民将在十二月面临粮食短缺问题。