Tawila, October 14 (Darfur24)
Farmers in Tawila locality, North Darfur State, face growing threats to their crops from widespread bird infestations and other agricultural pests, amid fears of further losses after poor rainfall reduced production.
Farmers in Tarni and other areas around the Tunjur reservoir, south of Tawila, told Darfur24 on Tuesday that bird attacks were threatening their remaining crops. They cited a lack of pest-control measures and technical support as major challenges.
The farmers said birds had spread across Tarni, Khartoum Jadid and Sandaniqo, putting crops at risk after poor rainfall left large agricultural areas out of production this season.
Halima Musa, a farmer from Khartoum Jadid village, said the agricultural season around the Tunjur reservoir was performing relatively better than in other parts of Tawila locality. However, she warned that bird attacks and other pests could still destroy farmers’ remaining crops.
Musa said some farmers had turned to religious scholars and traditional practices in an effort to keep birds and pests away from their fields, reflecting beliefs held in rural communities.
Ismail Ahmed, a farmer from Masal camp, said farmers previously relied on the Ministry of Agriculture for pesticide spraying and pest-control services. However, he said the ministry had been absent from the area since the war broke out in April 2023, forcing residents to rely on traditional methods to protect their crops.
Abdul Rahman Al-Nour, a sheikh at a traditional Quranic school, said some farmers used amulets containing Quranic verses, placing them around or in the middle of their fields. Others sprinkled Al-Mahaya, a traditional religious preparation, on crops in an attempt to protect them from birds and locusts.
The spread of the birds comes as farmers in Tawila contend with poor rainfall, declining agricultural production and limited pest-control services, raising concerns about worsening food insecurity in the area.