Heany Junction, Umguza District, Zimbabwe

14 March 2024.

Sithokozile Ncube is using an innovative approach to protecting her sorghum crop from quelea birds using paper from exercise books is a prime example of local knowledge and adaptation in the face of climate change challenges. This method acts as a visual deterrent to the birds, making it less likely for them to target the sorghum crop.
Using paper from exercise books to cover the maturing crop is a low-cost and accessible solution for farmers in the region, as exercise books are commonly available. This demonstrates the importance of local knowledge sharing and community collaboration in finding sustainable solutions to agricultural challenges exacerbated by climate change.
While quelea birds can pose a significant threat to sorghum and other crops, especially in regions like Matabeleland where they migrate in large numbers, innovative strategies like Ncube’s paper cover method can help farmers mitigate this risk and protect their livelihoods.
Efforts like this highlight the importance of supporting and amplifying local initiatives and knowledge in addressing the complex and multifaceted impacts of climate change on agriculture, particularly for smallholder farmers in vulnerable regions. Governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders can play a role in providing support, resources, and infrastructure to enable farmers to implement such innovative solutions effectively. Additionally, further research and collaboration could help refine and scale up these methods to benefit more farmers facing similar challenges globally.