Hello everybody! How are you doing? Do you have any plans for summer vacation? I really want to visit a beach and cool down in the sea sometime this month. Please remember to stay cool everybody and be safe in the sun.
I know a lot of you have been paying attention to the rice crisis this summer in Japan. Prices are almost twice as much as last year, but hopefully, the government will find ways to make rice cheaper as soon as possible. Italy is also facing a challenge with their rice supply but for a very surprising reason.
Flamingos are causing big problems for rice farmers in northern Italy. The birds have moved into the rice fields in Ferrara province, where rice for risotto is grown. They don’t eat the rice, but while walking through the shallow water, they stir up the soil with their feet to look for insects and small animals. This movement damages the young rice plants and can ruin the whole crop.
Farmers are trying hard to protect their fields. They make loud noises by honking truck horns, banging barrels, and using gas cannons to scare the birds away. But the flamingos just fly to another rice field nearby and continue their search for food. Some farmers say they’ve lost up to 90% of their crops.
Experts think the flamingos came from a nearby nature area after a drought in Spain made their old homes too dry. To stop the damage, scientists suggest planting trees around the fields or using less water in the paddies so the birds won’t like it there. Farmers agree the birds are beautiful, but they need help to save their rice.
What do you think about this situation? Is this another problem potentially caused by climate change? Please share your thoughts with your teachers at BRIDGE when you have your next lesson. Take care!
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