Quelea birds
Wheat farmers in Narok county have raised concern over the invasion of quelea birds that have destroyed hundreds of acres under wheat plantation. The wheat farmers said despite the favourable climatic condition this year, their harvest could be too low as the birds have invaded their farms in millions.
Stanely Koonyo a farmer at Katakala area, Narok South Sub County wondered why the county government was reluctant in heeding to their plea to eradicate the birds despite the farmers launching an official complaint to the county agriculture office.
Koonyo lamented that the wheat farmers depend on the crop for livelihood but threatened to shift to other crops like maize farming if the trend continues.
“Since I began wheat farming 30 years ago, I have not seen a huge number of quelea birds like this year. Our efforts to eradicate them have been futile and now we call upon the county government to come in and help us destroy the birds,” he said.
Another farmer Jackson Ntaiyia decried that their effort to employ people to guard their farms were futile as the birds increased in number day by day. “The agriculture department alleges that they have sprayed the birds yet we have not seen a single dead bird. We only saw an aircraft that went round scaring the birds but not killing them,” he said.
Joyce Naserian, a prominent farmer in the county also called on both levels of government to intervene and finish the birds saying they are a big threat to food security in the country. She reiterated that the wheat farmers would be soon shifting to other crop farming that will give them profit as the birds are increasing every day.
“I recall the same scenario happened two years ago, but the county government then used aerial spray to flush the birds. I ask the current administration to use the same formula to eradicate the birds,” she said. However, the county executive member in charge of agriculture and livestock Joyce Keshe said officials from her department has mapped out the roots where the birds hide overnight and the aerial spray will only target the mapped areas.
“The chemicals procured to flush out the birds could be dangerous to the environment; hence the exercise has to be carried out in designated areas.
The affected areas are Katakala, Nkaretta, Naisoya, Ntulele, Kisiriri and Olopito.