Quelea birds invade rice farms in Bulambuli

Bulambuli, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Quelea birds have invaded and destroyed hundreds of hectares of rice farms in Bulambuli district. The birds said to have originated from the Western part of the district invaded rice farms in April this year and have now multiplied in thousands.

The birds have mainly affected the SWT rice farm and other neighbouring out-growers. Alfred Tsekedi, the Bulambuli District Production Officer says that they have alerted the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries to provide them with expertise and advice on the pesticides they can use to eliminate the birds.

He says that farmers in the lower part of the district are the most affected by the invasive bird species, which is threatening food security in the area. According to Tsekedi, quelea birds are seasonal and show up when the rice starts flowering.

Sara Neumbe, one of the affected farmers says that in just three weeks, the destructive birds have destroyed almost all rice farms in the area. “We are forced to guard the farms throughout the day. We are not sure if we are going to harvest enough food since the birds have eaten all the rice,” she said.

Muhammud Were, another farmer says that although the birds are seasonal, they come in a huge swarm which makes it hard to chase them. He says that they are now spending huge sums of money to pay people to scare the birds.

Ali Khan, the Operations Manager of SWT rice farm in Bwikongye sub county says that the birds increased at the beginning of this month. He says that the birds have affected their 500-acre farm, adding that they have tried to deploy people to scare away the birds but it is not working.

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