Tamale Central Member of Parliament, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, has voiced urgent concerns as migratory birds swarm northern rice farms, causing extensive damage.
Muhammed reported a substantial loss in harvest, with his yield plummeting from an expected 1000 bags to a mere 93 bags due to the destructive impact of these birds.
In an interview with GhanaWeb’s Nimatu Yakubu Atouyese, Muhammed highlighted the severity of the issue, revealing that approximately 30,000 migratory birds have taken control of farmlands in the northern region.
He expressed distress over the birds targeting rice farms during the milking stage, resulting in significant losses for farmers.
"I have several farms, and one of my farms, the birds actually destroyed the 57 acres. And I got just 93 bags from that farm; I was projecting close to 1000 bags but I got only 93 because of these migratory birds," Muhammed stated.
Drawing attention to successful measures taken in Tanzania, he suggested the use of drones equipped with chemicals to deter the birds, emphasizing the critical need for swift action to address this alarming situation.
He called on the state to take responsibility, indicating that he spoke to the deputy minister for agric and he is yet to get back to him after two months since he raised these concerns.
He said swift action would ensure rice farmers do not give up on production as there is a huge concern with farmers opting not to farm the produce due to the losses caused by these migratory birds.
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