Quelea birds ravage farms in seven Adamawa LGs

Felicia Nzomisaki, the Permanent Secretary, Adamawa State Ministry of Agriculture says Quelea birds have attacked farms in seven local government areas in the state.

Mrs Nzomisaki made this known during the inauguration of the 2019 Wet Season Aerial Control of Quelea Birds in Yola on Friday.

The aerial control was sponsored by the federal government to actualize the national food security programme.

She said that the seven local government areas that the birds’ destruction affected are Guyuk, Shelleng, Numan, Lamurde, Demsa, Yola North and Girei.

“Today we are here because the federal government has responded to our reports on ravages of quelea birds that is prevalent in the state by contracting an agro-aviation company to control the birds through aerial spray.

“This has become inevitable because quelea birds are trans-boundary in nature and can fly thousands of kilometers unhindered.

“We appreciate the magnanimity of the federal government for coming to our aid,” Nzomisaki said.

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa appealed to the people of the communities affected by the quelea birds not to eat the birds killed after the spraying “because they are poisonous”.

Mr Fintiri said Adamawa was predominantly agrarian with majority of farmers producing cereals in both dry and wet seasons.

“I want to use this occasion to convey our gratitude to the Federal Government for this timely intervention.

“Adamawa is an endemic quelea birds state and the birds fly across borders and we all know the enormous losses farmers suffer yearly due to the destructive activities of the pest that are migratory in nature.

“Therefore, the Federal Government intervention is timely as it will enable our farmers to achieve good harvest for the actualisation of National Food Security Programme,” he said.

(NAN)