Farmers under attack

The daily dangers facing food-producing farmers are matters requiring serious government and national attention. Repeated complaints from farmers caused the president of the Agricultural Society, Darryl Rampersad, to call for “shutting down” the 2013 Praedial Larceny Squad.

How can the Ministry of Agriculture operate effectively without a reliable national agricultural plan? And when added to the growing scarcity of healthy food and the apparent abundance of disease-causing, unhealthy food, it seems we have a big food problem.

Given the previous, repeated complaints of praedial larceny, there should be a daily publication of praedial larceny offences compared to last year’s figures. Also, publish reliable detection and prosecution rates. In 2020, there were 175 reports. How many were there in 2023? From what we hear from farmers, praedial larceny is one of our most under-reported crimes. Add at least 40 per cent more to the official figures.

Couva North MP Ravi Ratiram last September called on Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher to issue gun permits to farmers. In February 2020, Central farmer Ramdeo Boondoo publicly complained: “Praedial Larceny Squad not helping,” prompting the Ministry of Agriculture to issue a public denial.

The 2016 review of the 2013 Praedial Larceny Squad found a need for more staff and resources, especially since the stipulated staff complement was drastically reduced – for example, constables went from 84 to 28. The squad members complained of a shortage of vehicles. In reply, then agriculture minister Clarence Rambharat replied: “The vehicles have been abused, used for private purposes and destroyed at the hands of the squad’s leadership.” (April 14, 2021)

Such unhelpful exchanges have occurred too often. This squad has become a counter-productive anomaly, redundant and from numerous complaints, appears unfriendly to farmers.

Whose idea was it to establish the squad in 2013 under the Agriculture Ministry, disrupting police coordination? Expensive duplication.

On February 27, last year, the president of the Agricultural Society called for the squad “to be disbanded until it can be operationalised efficiently.”

He explained: “You have an incident taking place a few meters from a praedial larceny station (in Carlsen Field) and they say they can’t do anything about it.”

Is the plan to run out farmers really working?

Now the Praedial Larceny Prevention Act (No 12 of 1963) allows any police officer from any police station to investigate and charge those who steal food crops or animals. (Section 2A)

In fact, instead of this seemingly disparate, ineffective squad, why not abolish it and install its staff in strategic police stations. They can still execute the objectives of the squad in measured ways, coordinated ways as well as providing supplementary services to the station. The act says the squad is ultimately under the police commissioner. (Act amended in 2000) Last year, the Ministry attempted to “revitalise” the squad. Over 4,800 applied for the positions. The squad will still remain unfit for purpose.

Now, there are several big-picture issues. How can we seriously “diversify the economy,” teach children to pursue agriculture, promote buying local, cut down food import bill ($6 billion, 21 per cent of imports), etc, and treat farmers and agriculture without the support and protection they really deserve.

Why do we import mango juice, coconut milk and water, bananas, etc?

Ministers Kazim Hosein and Avinash Singh would work more effectively if they had a policy template to follow rather than sporadically going around meeting uncoordinated groups, taking morale-boosting pictures etc.

An updated survey of all available agricultural lands (including Caroni) – now in use and those with potential use – should be undertaken, then mobilise farmers of all types and preferences with incentives, produce a White Paper on Agriculture and Food Production. Think and act big with a national plan.

Maybe then link this policy initiative to Guyana’s agricultural plans. Do something big for agriculture. Protect farmers. Put agriculture seriously, firmly and proudly on the national stage.

When it comes to food, time is not on our side. If our agriculture helped develop the metropolis, then use it for ourselves now.