Quelea Bird Invasion Threatens Nakuru’s Wheat Production

Wheat farmers in Nakuru are grappling with significant losses as a massive invasion of quelea birds wreaks havoc on their crops. These small, yet voracious birds, notorious for targeting robust wheat, rice, and sorghum plantations, are causing extensive damage, consuming an average of 10 grams of grain per bird daily. The situation is dire in Rongai Sub-County, where farmers are facing the possibility of losing approximately 80,000 kilograms of wheat per day.

The Nakuru County Government has stepped in to manage the situation, working closely with growers to mitigate the impact. Leonard Bor, the County Executive Member (CECM) in charge of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries, has urged residents to report any roosting sites of these destructive birds. He highlighted the significant damage already reported on large-scale wheat farms, such as Madrugada Farm in Rongai.

Farmers are employing rudimentary methods to combat the birds, such as mounting scarecrows, using catapults and slings, and throwing pebbles at dawn when the crops are most vulnerable. Despite these efforts, the quelea birds continue to pose a significant threat, with farmers expressing concern that their crops could be completely destroyed without urgent intervention.

Bor has assured farmers that a team is actively mapping and identifying the birds’ roosting sites and conducting surveillance to determine the best control methods. However, he cautioned that using chemicals to flush out the birds could endanger livestock and advised farmers in affected areas to temporarily relocate their animals.

Nakuru County, a leading wheat producer second only to Trans Nzoia, with Uasin Gishu and Laikipia following, is facing the potential destruction of over 40 percent of its expected harvest due to the quelea invasion. This threat extends to both large- and small-scale farmers. Bor emphasized the severity of the situation, noting that the quelea bird population in the county exceeds 10 million. These birds, capable of long-distance migration, can cover over 10 million square kilometers, with colonies consuming up to 50 tons of grain daily. Each quelea roost can contain two to three million birds, posing a substantial threat to crops.

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Farmers affected by the quelea menace are urging the county government to take proactive measures ahead of the next planting season. Paul Mwaura, a wheat farmer in Tabot village, Visoi ward, described the devastation caused by the birds, noting that they often raid wheat farms from early morning until evening, forcing farmers to remain vigilant. While some wealthier farmers can afford to spray their fields, small-scale farmers often watch helplessly as their crops are decimated.

The quelea birds also attack barley, millet, oats, rice, and sorghum, though they do not target maize due to their small beaks. The invasion exacerbates the threat to food production in a country already facing a food shortage crisis due to changing rainfall patterns and desert locust invasions. Persistent drought in the Horn of Africa has reduced the availability of native grasses, the queleas’ primary food source, leading them to increasingly forage on grain fields.

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), a single quelea can consume up to 10 grams of grain daily. While fenthion, an organophosphate pesticide, has been used in Africa to combat these pests, it is toxic to humans and non-target organisms, posing additional risks.

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The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated. As Nakuru’s farmers brace for the next planting season, the county government must implement effective measures to protect the crops and ensure the region’s agricultural productivity and food security are maintained.