CHIPINGE More than 5 000 tonnes of wheat could be lost after huge swarms of wheat-eating quelea birds invaded farms in Middle Sabi Valley in the Manicaland province last week. (Pictured: The quelea bird)Farmers in the area have called on the government for help to control the birds that are capable of wiping out whole fields if left unchecked.
A farmer in the area, Pearl Sanhanga, said: We need aerial spraying equipment in order to have maximum control over these quelea birds. Previously we would pull resources together and hire spraying planes, but there have been a reduction of wheat farmers in recent years. The majority of the farmers have skipped the country. Those that have remained behind do not have the capacity to hire aerial spraying equipment.
Sanhanga added that the farmers were facing big challenges in trying to solve the problem.
Some have resorted to employ extra farm workers to deal with the problem, but acute financial resources to pay the workers have adversely affected their plans.
A former Chipinge South legislator Enock Porusingazi who is a prominent farmer and businessman in the area said: The nation will lose out if the government does not assist as a matter of urgency. We appreciate the assistance that we have been receiving from the Department of National Parks, but it is unfortunate that the impact has been minimal.
Porusingazi has 250ha under wheat and he is expecting more than 100 tonnes.
But this might remain a dream if we do not get assistance in terms of aerial spray equipment, said Porusingazi.
Post published in: Economy