Somalis battling the worst invasion of locusts in 25 years have resorted to eating the insects to stop them from destroying crops.

Local media reports have shown residents in central Somalia frying locusts and serving them with rice, with one man saying the desert insects are tastier than fish.

Another man told Universal Somali TV he believes eating the insects could help reduce his back pain and blood pressure, while some residents have apparently urged local restaurants to introduce locust dishes.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said earlier this week that Somalia and Ethiopia were facing a locust infestation that is destroying crops and threatening food security in the region.

On Saturday, Somali farmers urged their government and the international community to help protect crops from the invasion.

Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa Show all 14 1 /14 Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa Local farmer Theophilus Mwendwa runs through a swarm of desert locusts to chase them away in Kitui County, Kenya EPA Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa A farmer's son walks through a swarm of locusts in Kitui County, Kenya AP Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa Locusts swarm on a highway at Lerata village in Kenya AFP/Getty Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa Local farmer Theophilus Mwendwa runs through a swarm of desert locusts to chase them away in Kitui County, Kenya EPA Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa Local farmer Theophilus Mwendwa runs through a swarm of desert locusts to chase them away in Kitui County, Kenya EPA Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa A man chases away a swarm of desert locusts in Kitui County, Kenya EPA Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa A farmer walks among a swarm of locusts on grazing land in Galmudug region, Somalia Reuters Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa Somali farmers on Saturday urged their government and the international community to help protect their crops from an invasion of locusts that is leaving many unable to feed their families Reuters Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa A desert locust plucked from the swarm on farmland in Galmudug region, Somalia Reuters Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa The insects have already destroyed 175,000 acres of farmland in Somalia and neighbouring Ethiopia, threatening food supplies in both countries in the worst locust invasion in 70 years, the Food and Agriculture Organisation said on Wednesday Reuters Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa A farmer lifts a ketle among a swarm of locusts on grazing land in Galmudug region, Somalia Reuters Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa Farmers lift a plastic sheeting to fend off a swarm of locusts on grazing land in Galmudug region, Somalia Reuters Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa Boys attempt to fend off a swarm of locusts on farmland in Galmudug region, Somalia Reuters Locust swarms threaten catastrophe for farmers in East Africa Farmers watch on as swarm of locusts descends on grazing land in Galmudug region, Somalia Reuters

The FAO has reported farmers are facing a “devastating threat” to their crops and warned that the environmental damage of the infestation could endanger crop production beyond Somalia if it goes unchecked.

“A single locust plague can lead to a loss of 170,000 tonnes of grain, enough to feed one million people for a year,” the organisation said.

David Phiri, a FAO regional coordinator, told Voice of America news company on Wednesday that favourable weather conditions for locust breeding means there is a high probability of the insects continuing to spawn rapidly until April 2020.

The insects have already destroyed at least 175,000 acres of farmland in Somalia and Ethiopia, according to the FAO.

Jirow Qorhere, a farmer in central Somalia, said earlier this week that he had lost all his crops from the infestation.

“Locusts devoured the whole area and have now reached our farm to eat our plants,” he said.

“This is the end, we have nothing left to feed our children and we aren’t even able to buy from the market.”