Online Reporter
Precious Manomano
Herald Reporter
THE Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has partnered Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to combat quelea birds as the country targets another record wheat harvest.
The Government has more than 10 000 litres of Phenethylamine chemical to control quelea birds.
This comes after the country managed to record a bumper harvest of over 500 000 tonnes during the 2024 winter season, and this year they are targeting 600 000 tonnes.
Speaking to the media after touring Nyahombe Irrigation Scheme, which has 60 hectares with an expected yield of 180 tonnes, Agriculture Rural Advisory Services chief director Leonard Manamati said generally the crop is promising a good harvest and some is already on the tussling stage.
“So generally, the crop countrywide is looking very good. On Thursday we had a meeting with all the programmes which funded wheat and they were positive,” he said.
“The wheat crop is looking very good. We have been to Manicaland, Mashonaland East, and Matabeleland province.
“So we are targeting a new record again in terms of production this season. We are already prepared to deal with the quelea birds, and the first thing is that we know that we need Phenethylamine chemical, which we use to destroy the quelea birds and currently we have 10 000 litres, which is ready.
“We are already distributing the chemical to various provinces, and we are identifying the roosting sites and we have given the district heads of architects vehicles so that they are ready to move swiftly in case of any need for control.
“We have got drones, we are also working with Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority and we are ready to destroy any quelea birds that may try to disturb our wheat,” Munamati told the media.
Meanwhile, Nyahombe irrigation scheme chairperson Wilson Machingambi said the irrigation’s success is hinged on joint ventures where the AFC and ARDA came in to support farmers.
He said they were drawing water from Tugwi-Mukosi dam and with the assistance from development partners such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation, their aim is to produce more.
