Feature: Quelea birds threatens harvest in central Tanzania

Farmers in Tanzania's central region of Dodoma are in frustrations over the new invasion of quelea birds in their fields, which is threatening the anticipated bumper harvests this year.

Famously known as the quelea, the world's most abundant wild bird species flock overnight in large group to attack cereal crops like rice, sorghum and maize.

Officials said that Bahi District is one of the highly affected areas in the drought-stricken region of Dodoma.

Currently, the birds have stormed into Bahi Makulu, Mtitaa, Mwitikila and Mpangwe villages, whereby farmers have appealed to the central government to chip-in and destroy the red-billed birds which are threatening to the areas' bumper harvest this season.

Bahi District council's chairman, Danford Chisomi, admitted on the challenge, saying that for the first time quelea birds started hitting Mwitikila village in Bahi Makulu ward.

He said that hundreds of hectares of rice and sorghum have been affected by the destructive birds, suggesting the need for urgent measures to rescue farmers from the 'deadly' birds.

"We have submitted a report to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives and our expectation is that all the breeding sites will be destroyed and farmers shouldn't worry," said Francis Mwonga, Bahi District Commissioner.

He urged farmers to remain calm as the government works on best ways to address the challenge.

One of the farmers, Peter Mwaluko from Bahi Makulu village said the birds need to be eliminated in order to rescue farmers crops.

"We have some good rains in this season, but our hopes now might vanish in thin air due to the invasion of quelea birds. That's why we're asking for help from the government," he said.

Mtitaa village-based farmer, Edda Momeli said: "This year we planted more sorghum, but we're now slaves of quelea because our lives are depend on produce from the farms."

Ward councillor for Bahi Makulu, Agustino Ndonuo said farmers have reported the matter to the district council on the need to rescue their farms from the destructive birds.

"The District council has promised to take immediate action on the birds," Ndonuo said.

Early this year, President John Magufuli directed Regional and District Commissioners to ensure that their areas are free from hunger and use the little rains to produce more food.

The Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea) is the world's most abundant wild bird species, with an estimated adult breeding population of 1.5 billion pairs. Some estimates of the overall population have been as large as 10 billion. The entire population is found in sub-Saharan Africa and is generally absent from deeply forested regions and the southern reaches of South Africa. It is a small passerine bird of the weaver family ploceidae.

The distribution area of the Red-billed Quelea covers the majority of sub-Saharan Africa, excluding deep portions of rain forest in central Africa. It is also generally absent from the southern portion of South Africa. Endit