It’s just as well that many Jamaican farmers are not in the business primarily for money.

For many — perhaps the majority — overwhelming motivation flows from the sense of extreme satisfaction and joy derived from their own creativity, and eventually seeing the fruits of their labour and material investment in the form of mature crops and livestock.

But for that love, many of those toiling to produce food for the table would have long ago walked away because of farm theft, commonly referred to in Jamaica as praedial larceny.

Farming is hard enough because of the uncertainties of weather, prices, and other variables. All of that, plus farm theft, have forced many a farmer to pack up and move on. That combination has also dissuaded many potential cash-rich investors.

Estimates suggest that losses to farm thieves in Jamaica amount to well in excess of $5 billion annually, destroying lives and undermining rural development.

The problem is not new. For as long as anybody can remember farmers have had to contend with goat thieves, cow thieves… and people who make it their business in the dead of night to reap crops they did not sow.

Today the problem is getting worse. Criminals with greater resources and, at times, murderous intent — some operating in gang-style networks — are now involved in an activity that is increasingly profitable it would seem.

All of which pose greater danger to Jamaica’s food security, already threatened by the consequences of the novel coronavirus pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Down the decades every minister of agriculture has had to wrestle with farm theft. None can boast of significant success.

Current Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Mr Pearnel Charles Jr, young and energetic, seems determined to make a difference.

We note a wide range of measures announced by him in his recent sectoral presentation to Parliament. They include the setting up of a “strategic working group with diverse experience and background” to provide advice to the minister; greater use of technology to protect farmers from criminals; amendment of the Proceeds of Crime Act to assist recovery “of proceeds” from convicted farm thieves; establishment of farm watch/beach watch groups to build farmer/fisher capacity to counter thieves.

We are most intrigued by a proposal to establish “a name and shame campaign with the names and photos of convicted praedial larcenists published in the print and electronic media…”

We are aware that the concept of naming and shaming is not new. Also, although that list is not published in Jamaica, there is a sexual offenders’ registry underpinned by legislation.

We wait to hear more about the proposal to name and shame convicted farm thieves. Will there be need for supporting legislation, for example?

And obviously, care must be taken to avoid the risk of vigilante justice which, as we are all painfully aware — following the recent tragic mob killing in Mandeville — is an ever-present danger.

The Government and all well-thinking Jamaicans must find a way to come to grips with farm theft, which is undermining the good health and viability of farming and rural life. But let’s be very careful.