This archive report was first published on 25 July 2019.
On July 25, 2019, the Kenyan government initiated a Sh200 million operation to combat the quelea bird invasion in Narok County, utilizing a plane to spray pesticides.
Quelea birds, which traditionally migrate from Lake Natron in Tanzania in June, have invaded the wheat fields in Narok County in their millions, posing a significant threat to farmers.
The birds' invasion coincides with the harvesting season, exacerbating the situation for farmers who are already facing losses due to erratic rains.
According to Everlyn Koyian, the Narok County Executive for Agriculture and Livestock, the operation aims to eliminate the birds from their hideouts in various locations across the county.
The focus areas include Nairasirasa and Melelo in Narok South, Ilmashariani, Olopito, Tikako, Nturumeti, and Katakala in Narok North, and Nairagie Enkare in Narok East.
Each roost is estimated to contain approximately 3.5 million birds, with the total population across the Narok growing areas estimated to be around 15 million.
Large-scale farmer Bernard Totona expressed concerns about the country's food security, stating that the Crop Protection Directorate's single plane in East Africa is insufficient to deal with the quelea menace.
