Quelea birds invade wheat farms in Narok

By KIPCHUMBA KEMEI

Narok, Kenya: Wheat farmers in Narok County are starring at losses running to millions of shillings after Quelea birds invaded their farms.

The millions of birds that migrated from Lake Natron in Tanzania have according to Agriculture Ministry officials, destroyed more than 100 acres.

The ministry has consequently dispatched a plane and personnel from the Crop Protection Directorate to kill them before they cause further destruction.

Angry farmers are now accusing ministry officials of responding after the birds had already invaded their farms.

“We demand compensation because the ministry knew that these birds migrate to Narok annually around this time. The losses are unacceptable,” said Erisha Kuluo, farmer’s spokesman.

Kuluo who has lost more than 40 acres in one of his farms at Nairegi Enkare area said most farmers were expecting an average of between 25 to 30 bags per acre, adding that the loss was being aggravated by the fact that they borrowed loans from the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) and other commercial financial institutions.

“There were adequate rains but our hopes have been torpedoed by the birds’ invasion. If the compensation will not be forthcoming, we will not be in business next year,” added Kuluo who also petitioned AFC and other financial institutions to delay recalling of loans.