By Okong’o Oduya
Hundreds of farmers in Bunyala irrigation scheme in Busia County are counting losses after their rice plantation was destroyed by the quail birds.
According to the Chairman Magombe multipurpose cooperative society, Christopher Ngunyi the quill birds have damaged more than hundred acres of the rice plantation, believed to have migrated to the scheme from Dominion farm in Yimbo, Siaya County.
Ngunyi says the birds moved to the scheme after dominion farm owner in Yala swamp decided to venture into sugar cane farming from rice farming. He says Dominion used to spray his farm, killing some birds reducing their number but since he ventured into cane farming the birds have migrated to Bunyala scheme in large number, damaging their crop.
“These birds have damaged a big area of rice that was in the flowering stage. What we are doing today with the help of the county government is stopping further damage by spraying the farm,” said Ngunyi
The badly hit areas are Siamulwa and Siamungu in the irrigation scheme, among other out growers.
He says that currently the crop is at flowering stage and if the birds won’t be controlled early enough there will be nothing left to harvest.
“Right now more than 500 acres of land are at flowering stage and if we don’t address this problem as soon as possible we will not harvest anything,” he explained
The area member of County Assembly in Busia, Felix Omanyi said that rice farmers in the scheme have been badly affected by the birds calling upon both national and county government to set up a fund that will help mitigate such problem in future.
“What we should be thinking right now is how to prevent such problem in future. Both national and county government should come up with a fund that will help to compensate farmer in event of damage,” said Bunyala West member of county assembly
He further advised farmers in the scheme from selling unprocessed rice adding that by doing so reduces the value of their crop, hence earning low in the long run. He says they are working on plans on how to process the rice, selling their products branded their own label.
He urges National irrigation board (NIB) to open more water outlets from the scheme to drain out excess water from their farms for proper yield.
On the other side, Busia County’s Deputy Governor Moses Mulomi promised to address challenges facing the rice farmers in the scheme. According to him, the county government will work closely with respecting departments and other stakeholders to tackle snags that rice farmers go through in the county.
“We will work closely with scientists to come up with ways to handle the quill birds’ problem. One thing we all know is that the birds do migrate from one region to another and through scientists, we will understand the quill migration pattern and see when to plant our crops,” said Mulomi
However the deputy governor warned the residents from consuming dead birds as a result of the sprayed chemicals in the scheme, saying that it is harmful to their health.
“I want to inform our farmers to keep off the birds that will die as a result of spraying thinking it is good for consumption. Those birds are dangerous for a human,” Mulomi warned
