Farmers in Kebbi State are in a state of nervousness
over fear of quelea birds invading and attacking their rice farms. The
farmers’ apprehension was heightened when handful of the pest were
spotted flying around their dry season farms.
“There is possibility of the quelea birds attacking our crops , we have started seeing a couple of them around our farms although not in large numbers. The birds have even now have starred disturbing the germinating rice, Muhammadu Nafiu a rice farmer said.
Another farmer in Suru local government area of the state, Malan Musa said he cultivates 2 hectares of rice annually. He also expressed fear of the invading birds eating up their rice farms.
“Yes we have started taking local measures using drums to scare the birds away from 6 am to 7 pm daily which is very difficult . We are seeking assistance from government for aerial spray of chemicals please.”
When contacted on the matter, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture, Alhaji Lawal Muhammad said that the ministry has started receiving complaints from farmers especially in Bakuwai and that officials of the Ministry have been sent to survey the areas for possible assistance from the government.
It will be recalled that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has launched the National Control on Trans-boundary Pests in 17 front line States in Kebbi last year.
The front line
states are: Delta, Adamawa, Kogi, Borno, Zamfara, Yobe, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi,
Plateau, Bauchi, Sokoto, Bayelsa , Enugu, Anambra, Jigawa and Rivers states.
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