KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has intensified its efforts to curb praedial larceny with its recent staging of Praedial Larceny Sensitisation Workshop sessions for police officers across all divisions.

According to a release, the latest workshop was held under the theme ‘Taking a zero-tolerance approach to Praedial theft – Prevention, Compliance and Enforcement’ at the Grandiosa Hotel Conference Room in St James on Wednesday, July 13.

During the workshop, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Pearnel Charles Jr called for a united front in defeating praedial larceny and farm theft which was labelled as a national security issue, a food security issue and a public health issue.

“Unity is strength and we need a united force if we are going to tackle this very serious issue of praedial larceny,” the minister said.

Praedial larceny is the theft of agricultural produce. It hampers the growth and expansion of legal production and productivity in the sector and encourages increased imports to fill the gaps.

“I really want to express how much I appreciate the level of importance that the officers in this workshop have placed on being sensitised and upskilled around this important issue. Food security is the number one issue for everybody around the world right now and you play an important part in ensuring that every boy and girl and mother and father in Jamaica can get food on their table,” Charles Jr told officers and presenters who participated in the workshop.

Noting that food security is the number one issue in the world right now, the minister said praedial larceny is one of the greatest challenges in expanding the agriculture sector and bringing in more investments so that the country and region can be food secure.

The ministry has been implementing varying initiatives to counter the incidences of praedial larceny including legislative amendments and strengthening of animal traceability through the National Identification and Traceability System (NAITS).

Greater awareness and strengthened enforcement of Jamaica Constabulary Force initiatives in praedial larceny investigation, prevention and risk reduction is one of the strategies the ministry has implemented to tackle the crime.

In 2021-2022, approximately 101 police officers received training in how to effectively investigate praedial larceny cases and prepare case files. This resulted in 102 arrests being made with over 70 animals recovered and/or returned to their owners.

Meanwhile, National Praedial Larceny Prevention Officer, Superintendent Oral Pascoe, praised the sensitisation workshops which he said have proven to be informative for JCF members.

“We’re going great so far and a lot of the officers would have learnt a lot more than what they know in terms of sensitisation and to bolster their compliance and enforcement efforts in the whole sector. For example, fisheries — all police officers and fishing inspectors have been briefed on the Fisheries Act of 2018 and most police officers, this is the first time they knew of that so that is the level we’re going,” he said.

“We’re going right across the spectrum, butcher’s regulations, their role in butchering, transportation of agricultural produce, registration and so on. So, it’s a comprehensive approach of all the offences relating to praedial larceny and the Fisheries Regulation,” Pascoe continued.