These birds are an excellent natural option to remove pests from crops.
To feed the 8 billion people who currently inhabit the planet, it is necessary to grow millions of tons of food. And for all crops to be profitable, it is necessary to take care of them from the insects that devastate them. Most farmers around the world use pesticides, which are very useful for killing weeds, insects, rodents, and fungi.
However, these chemicals do not distinguish between species and also destroy beneficial animals for plants such as bees, bats and hummingbirds, responsible for pollination. That’s why many farmers look for more planet-friendly options to protect their crops from pests. And one of them seems to be ducks.
In Thailand, ducks are responsible for ending pests in rice fields. This is a technique known as “integrated rice-duck farming” and involves letting these birds eat all the insects and rice husks in the fields. Thus, they clean the plants of pests and harmful elements, allowing them to develop while feeding. And in the end, their manure is returned to the fields in the form of fertilizer.
It’s a great idea that benefits many parties. The farmer no longer has to spend a fortune on pesticides, pollinators are safe, and the ducks go home with full bellies, reducing feed costs for their breeder. This technique is widely used in Asia and comes from a centuries-old tradition; although in many regions pesticides are used because of the ease they entail. However, in Thailand, the integrated cultivation of rice and ducks is essential for agriculture.
According to the newspaper The country, a flock of 10,000 ducks is responsible for keeping Thai rice fields clean. Every year, this army of “hunting ducks” consume the insects hidden among the rice crops to prevent them from being damaged.
Game ducks instinctively move among the paddy fields, looking for food. They feed on snails and their eggs as well as other insects. Watching them do their job is a real spectacle as it really looks like an army marching, ready for battle.
Once they finish combing the fields, the birds must return to their home. They run back to the truck that will take them to their home farm, where they will prepare for the next mission; Well, hunting ducks are a kind of outside workers. In other words, farmers hire ducks to kill pests.
Thailand is famous for its vast expanses of rice fields, which are also the economic base of thousands of families. That is why keeping crops safe is of paramount importance. And thanks to the army of 10,000 ducks, this is possible and now, birds and farmers are the best co-workers.