Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Franklin Witter, addresses farmers and other stakeholders at a praedial larceny farmer sensitisation session held on Thursday (February 5) at the Manchester Parish Church in Mandeville. The session was coordinated and executed by the Ministry’s Praedial Larceny Prevention Coordination Branch in an effort to provide farmers and other key stakeholders with pertinent information to combat praedial larceny.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Franklin Witter, is calling on farmers and communities to work hand in hand with government institutions to combat praedial larceny, which he described as the greatest threat to Jamaica’s agricultural sector.

Speaking at a farmer sensitisation session on Thursday (February 5) at the Mandeville Parish Church in Manchester, Minister Witter stressed that collaboration is key to making the crime “harder to commit and easier to prosecute.”

He underscored that farmers play a central role in the fight but must comply with the provisions of the law. “I want to reiterate that all farmers must register with RADA, use receipt books for all produce transactions and ensure that you tag your animals and maintain good records,” he said.

He further reminded farmers and communities of their shared responsibility. “Praedial larceny affects all, it is everyone’s business. Let us come together and put a dent in the activities of those two-foot puss,” the state minister pointed out.

Importantly, Minister Witter pointed out that farmers should not view these measures as “adding more pressure” to their activities but instead as mechanisms established for their protection.

The Minister noted that while the government has strengthened institutional arrangements, legislative frameworks, and enforcement mechanisms, these efforts will not succeed without the active support of farmers and the wider community. “Too often, farmers remain silent when praedial larceny occurs, leading to under-reporting. Some people turn a blind eye because it is not their property that is being stolen,” he cautioned.

Minister Witter highlighted that the government’s five-pronged approach, which consists of institutional coordination, legislative reform, traceability, enforcement, and public education, has already led to significant results, including a sharp rise in arrests and convictions. He urged farmers to embrace these systems and practices to protect their livelihoods and strengthen Jamaica’s agricultural future.

The Ministry, through its Praedial Larceny Prevention Coordination Branch, frequently plans and executes sensitisation sessions for farmers in praedial larceny hotspot areas, emphasising the integral role of information in the fight against praedial larceny.

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