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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]

GOGO Sifelani Dube (68) from Lumene Village in Gwanda uses an artificial bird to protect her crop from quelea birds. She and her husband, Dannie Dube recently hosted a field day at their homestead where they showcased their traditional grain.

Gogo Dube said mounting an artificial bird above their field which scares away birds has helped to safeguard her crop. 

The bird which is an imitation of an eagle is sold to community members at a cost of US$2. 

“Quelea birds have in the past been a problem to us but we are glad that we have found the means to control them. We use an artificial bird that we mount strategically above our field. The bird glides above the field and when quelea birds see it they fly away,’ she said. 

Gogo Dube said the new approach had made their task very easy compared to the past when they had to be spend hours in the fields chasing away the birds.

“Now I can do my household chores knowing that my crop is safe. This  method has helped us to record a good harvest and we will continue using it,” she said. 

Themba Ndlela who has been successfully producing traditional grains over the past four years said he uses cans to scare the quelea birds away. 

He said farming is his source of livelihood. 

Ndlela said maize does not do well in his area hence he has concentrated on producing traditional grains. 

He said he had to devise a method to deal with the quelea birds which were destroying his crops.

“I made a web of strings above the field and attached some 500ml empty water bottles filled with small stones. These are all joined to a string which is tied to a tree. When birds come we pull that string which then shakes those bottles and the stones make noise and the birds fly away. This is easier than trying to chase the birds by moving around the fields,’ he said.

Ndlela is a major supplier of traditional grains in his area which he sells for cash or exchanges for livestock. He said farming requires hard work and discipline. 

Ndlela said a good farmer monitors his field often.

Sibongokuhle Masuku from Mahlokohloko Village in Gwanda also uses cans filled with stones to scare away the quelea birds. 

She also uses the artificial bird.

She said these two methods have proved very effective in protecting her crop.

Matabeleland South acting provincial agricultural director rural development services, Mkhunjulelwa Ndlovu said farmers were adopting smart methods of protecting their crops from quelea birds.

“We have seen a number of farmers adopting innovative ways of controlling the quelea bird menace hence we are holding field days so that farmers can learn from each other,” he said. — @DubeMatutu