Federal in collaboration with the jigawa state government has embarked on aerial spray of quelae birds in Auyo local government area.
The Zonal coordinator pest control of the federal ministry of Agriculture Alhaji Abba Gana disclosed this in an interview with Radio Nigeria in Auyo local government area.
Alhaji Abba Gana, represented by the director of the ministry, Abubakar Abdullah said the aerial spraying exercise was aimed at reducing the population of quelea birds and control another trans-border pest in the country.
According to him, the exercise will last for two weeks in 11 local government areas of the state.
Also speaking, the special adviser to Jigawa state governor on community and inclusion, Alhaji Hamza Mohammed Hadejia said the aerial spray commenced following the rice farmers complaints about the invasion of the quelea birds on farms.
He pointed out that invasion of quelea birds and flooding have been major challenges, farmers were experiencing for many years reducing the food production in the country.
Hamza Mohammed Hadejia said since the inception of the present administration, improving Agriculture remain the main concern to the federal and state governments to boost food production and the economy.
He said both federal and state governments have taken measures to curtail or reduced some of the major challenges been experience by the farmers annually including pest control, spraying of quelea birds and desealting of water ways under TRIMMING project.
Also in an interview with Radio Nigeria at Gatafa village in Auyo Local government area, some of the rice farmers said the invasion of quelea birds had been a major challenge threatening the rice production .
They said the annual flooding, pest and quelea birds attacked on rice farms had been the major challenges threatening farmers and food security in the country at large.
COVUSMAN MZ, JIGAAWA