CARDI INSTALLS BIRD WAILERS TO PROTECT TOBAGO FARMS
L-R) Tamika Seales-Monsano, Director Food Crop Production, CARDI; Fayaz Shah, Manager of Science Technology and Innovation, CARDI; Cindyann Currency, Head of Operations, Digicel Foundation; Assemblyman Nathisha Charles-Pantin; Georgina Peterkin, Digicel Foundation Director; and Ansari Hosein, Executive Director, CARDI at the launch of the Bird Wailer System at Goodwood Secondary School, Tobago, on March 12 2024.
FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2024, PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO – According to the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), farmers in Tobago face losing 50 - 65% of their crop due to pests, including parrot and cocrico birds. To help address this issue, CARDI has installed a solar-powered Bird Wailer Deterrent System on the island to bring some relief to those most affected, mainly cocoa and citrus farmers.
The solar-powered bird wailer system emits a series of intimidating sounds, such as birds in distress, natural predator sounds, shotguns and alarms, to deter birds from perching and eating produce. The project was funded by a TT$100,000 EPIC grant through a partnership with the Digicel Foundation and Shell Trinidad and Tobago Limited.
On Tuesday 12 March 2024, CARDI unveiled the system to farmers and stakeholders at a launch event held at Goodwood Secondary School in Tobago, in which the research team presented optimistic findings from the pilot project.
CARDI’s Executive Director Mr. Ansari Hosein explained, “One system was set up in the Tobago Cocoa Estate, while the second one has been roving across different farming districts. We are happy to hear that after three weeks at the Tobago Cocoa Estate, there are no sightings of the parrots or evidence of parrot damage.”
The solar-powered bird wailer deterrent system installed by CARDI to protect Tobago farms was facilitated by an EPIC grant from the Digicel Foundation in partnership with Shell Trinidad and Tobago.
Hosein cautioned, however, that “the use of the bird wailer is not a silver bullet for solving this frustrating bird pest problem… the wailer must be part of an integrated approach to controlling bird pests."
To implement and track the success of the bird wailer, CARDI has joined forces with the THA’s Division of Food Security, Natural Resources, the Environment and Sustainable Development. The Secretary of the Division Assemblyman Nathisha Charles-Pantin congratulated the CARDI on the innovation and their stakeholder relationship, stating “The wailer system is a practical tool that can make a real difference on the ground.” She encouraged Farmers to lean on the Division for technical support and reasserted that there is power in collaboration.
This year, the Digicel Foundation’s ‘Extraordinary Projects Impacting Communities’ (EPIC) programme, in partnership with Shell Trinidad and Tobago Limited, focuses on agriculture, renewable energy and environmental projects. The Digicel Foundation’s Head of Operations Cindyann Currency shared, “Incorporating renewable energy into this initiative tells us that CARDI is thinking about sustainable agriculture and climate smart practices and we are excited to be on the journey with them, along with our partners at Shell Trinidad and Tobago.”
Farmers and stakeholders were introduced to the bird wailer deterrent system in an event at Goodwood Secondary School, Tobago, on Tuesday 12 March 2024.
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