ACCORDING to a 2016 Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) study, praedial larceny results in the loss of US$321 million annually or an estimated 17.9 per cent of Caribbean agricultural output.

The issue has been recognised at the highest level of leadership in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) as one of the constraints to sustainable agricultural development in the region.

Regional project specialist at the IICA Dr Vincent Little has said, “On average, 82 per cent of farmers and fishers affected are commercial or semi-commercial producers, indicating that praedial larceny strikes at the heart of agricultural productivity in the region as well as the food security of its most vulnerable populations.”

Over the last two decades praedial larceny in the region has transformed from petty theft to large-scale vandalism and robbery of large volumes of crop, livestock, and fish. The frequency of these incidences has also increased as well as the tactics used by perpetrators to carry out their malicious deeds.

A 2011 Caricom study revealed the following estimated losses: Trinidad and Tobago, US$22.6 million annually; Jamaica, in excess of US$55 million annually; Belize, in excess of US$300,000 annually; St Vincent and the Grenadines, US$2.3 million annually; and The Bahamas, US$16 million annually in its marine fish industry.

Nevertheless, while praedial larceny is prevalent in Jamaica, for example, about 45 per cent of cases go unreported.

To that end, Dr Little noted, “The significance of the loss resulting has become a disincentive to investment in agriculture and fishing and a danger to farmers, fisher folk, aquaculturists, their employees and families.”

But Caribbean governments have suggested and implemented measures to curb praedial larceny in the region.

Some of the preventative measures include strengthening the policy and legislative frameworks, improvements in traceability systems off farm and improved security systems on the farm, the establishment of support institutions, and implementation of special programmes. Many countries have also adopted a participatory approach to the design of praedial larceny prevention programmes, involving all stakeholders, which has served to strengthen the strategic actions in the national programmes.

But some of these initiatives have been criticised for either being too weak or lacking sufficient teeth to dissuade larcenists from committing the crime. In that regard, countries like Jamaica have started to beef up its response to praedial larceny.

For example, Jamaica is exploring the possibility of putting additional district constables across the island to focus solely on praedial larceny. The country is also building out the fleet of motor vehicles dedicated to that unit in order to improve the response time of law enforcement officers to praedial larceny crimes.

Meanwhile, as Caribbean food champions battle the scourge of praedial larceny, it is apparent that this region is not alone in the fight. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has said that praedial larceny should be taken as seriously as climate change.