Farm anti-theft unit coming – Prime Minister

The Royal Barbados Police Force is to set up a praedial larceny unit, said Prime Minister Mia Mottley on Wednesday as she announced a 750-acre land cultivation project whose crops and livestock will need protection.

In a nationwide address, Mottley said: “We recognize that one of the biggest threats to agricultural livelihoods in the country has been and continues to be praedial larceny. And it is particularly criminal at this time when you know that food is so valuable to so many households. My Government is committed to putting an end to it as far as possible but we need to work with you and the communities to make sure that people’s hard work does not come to naught because of people stealing.”

According to the PM, farmers will be allowed to use drones to watch their properties.

She said: “I spoke to the Attorney General and he has agreed to issue instructions to the Royal Barbados Police Force to establish a dedicated Praedial Larceny Unit for strict enforcement but we will let technology work for us by allowing farmers to use drones so that they may use geo-fencing to protect crops and livestock.”

Mottley said that the cultivation programme would not only create jobs but address the “critical” need to reduce the food import bill as well.

She added: “We have started to bring into cultivation 750 acres of land for short crop cultivation under Government’s FEED Programme. This will not only boost employment and provide jobs but it will also support our longer-term goals to enhance food security and to improve linkages between the tourism and agricultural sectors, but it will also importantly increase our reserves at a critical time if we can reduce our food imports.

“Interestingly enough, the discussions are taking place in the US now as to what may happen to their food chain hence the President’s determination to give the executive power order with respect to the production and supply of meat.”

The PM’s announcement comes a week after the chief executive officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society James Paul called on Government to pay more attention to agriculture and to take food security seriously, especially in light of the COVID-19 crisis.

In the interview with Barbados TODAY, Paul said: “Barbados cannot henceforth take food security for a joke and we need to produce adequate quantities of vegetables. We have been so hooked on the importation of even commodities that we can produce that when in situations like these when the production is not up we can see the consequences of it.

“That is why I have always called for more investment in agriculture so that we can be able to produce more of the foods that we consume. That way you would have a more stable price all year round.”