Rice farmers in Budalang’i Constituency, Busia County are panicking after quelea birds invaded their farms destroying the crop and leaving hundreds counting huge losses.
Mr Christopher Gunyi – the chairperson of Magombe Multipurpose Cooperative Society said growers are staring at Sh2 million loss, equivalent to 400 bags, following destruction.
The outgrower society based in Bunyala Central ward is among those benefiting from national government-ran Bunyala Irrigation Scheme.
“Birds have invaded our farms and destroyed rice covering over 100 acres. As we speak, over 500 acres of rice at flowering stage risk destruction,” said Mr Gunyi.
For many years, according to Mr Gunyi, farmers in the region depended on an initiative by an American investor Calvin Burgess –the owner of Dominion farm – in neighbouring Siaya County- to spray their crops. But the farmer has since shifted to Sugar cane leaving them to fend off the birds.
“Every season he (Mr Burgess) used to spray the whole region. In the interest of protecting his yield he used cover Bunyala since he was using an aircraft. However, he stopped owing to the fact that he no longer engage in large scale rice farming as before.”
Area MCA Felix Omanyi appealed to the County government to organise for routine spraying every season to shield farmers from future losses.
“We should think of insuring our farmers so that in future they can be compensated,” he said adding that there is need for disaster preparedness.
Source - https://www.businessdailyafrica.com
