Crop watch

TO have one’s property stolen, be it a few dollars or even an idea, one is left feeling totally violated.

 

Imagine embarking on a project into which one has placed considerable time and energy with the expectation of a financial reward after a given time, but to have that snatched away by a thief in the night. That must truly be the most frustrating and infuriating feeling, especially after a significant investment has been made, particularly in the form of a loan, which has to be repaid.

 

This week, I will take a brief look at the perennial threat of praedial larceny, which in many ways is threatening our already limited ability to feed ourselves.

 

Over the years, there have been reports of persons waking up to find that their crops were snatched. They were literally left holding an empty bag after pumping their blood, sweat and tears into a field, which many people have turned their backs upon. Ironically, many of them have gone out of agriculture because of praedial larceny, so the question is, how do we really stamp out this scourge?

 

In addition to irrigation, fertiliser and all the other resources used to grow a bountiful crop, it is clear that along with any other subsidies, solar lighting, or motion detector technology can be incorporated by farmers as a deterrent. The law also needs to be swift and harsh enough to deter those who may have their gaze affixed on the fruits of someone else’s labour.

 

We must also commend attempts to stop crop thieves from having easy access to markets, but again, the law must be swift on those who are caught stealing crops and those who buy the illegal produce.

 

As it relates to dogs that are allowed to roam freely at night in packs and destroy sheep farms, we also need to get this under control. Certainly, recognising that entities such as the RSPCA have their hands full trying to manage the stray dog population, there needs to be a drive to get all dogs licensed. Failure to comply would obviously be met with swift action and penalties to the owners. Those who fail to properly enclose their animals should also be held accountable for the farmers’ losses.

 

At a time when we shake our heads in disbelief at our high food import bill, we must ensure that any measures which will enhance our level of food security is explored and where possible executed.