Damage to agricultural yield due to farmland birds, present repelling techniques and its impacts: an insight from the Indian perspective

Abstract

In India, nearly 65% of the people are directly or indirectly dependent on agricultural sector for economic survival. The annual income of farmers is significantly influenced by the yield of the crops, which is continuously decreasing due to natural phenomena and poor technological advancement. However, the particular attention should be paid to the damage caused by birds. While the exact measure of the loss in yield associated with birds is unknown, farmers integrate a number of traditional and conventional techniques to grow and store grains and fruits. Many of the used methods result in extinction of the rare birds. Therefore, there is a need to develop alternative techniques, such as dialogue with the farmers, grain storage authorities and experts in the fields of ornithology, agricultural sectors and field visits, to avoid irreversible harm to the Indian biodiversity. This research analyzes the loss of yield of crop due to birds, explores repelling techniques adopted by the farmers, and addresses the consequences of integrated methods on the bird biodiversity in India. The project unveils the importance an interdisciplinary approach to develop an eco-friendly technique to reduce the loss of both the birds and the crops.