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Agricultural production in the Caribbean is being threatened by many factors such as decreasing availability of arable land, climate change effects such as increased incidences of flooding and drought, labour shortages, and competition from importers. However, one of the most important threats to agricultural production is the often under-recognised and under-reported area of farm theft (referred to as praedial larceny in the Caribbean). It involves the theft of agricultural produce (crops, livestock and fisheries) and farm equipment. One of the main reasons why this threat is so important is that theft of this type is very hard to prove. If indeed perpetrators are caught, and prosecuted successfully, the penalty is practically negligible. This paper examines the current status of farm theft in the Caribbean region, explores some of the main factors influencing farm theft, reviews some of the strategies attempted in the Caribbean and other places around the world and makes several suggestions to create a more secure food region. While the discussion calls on food producers to take several best practice actions to mitigate losses to praedial larceny, it emphasises that the primary responsibility is with government-led actions in the areas of modernised policies, updated laws and enhanced enforcement efforts. |
