adminSmauel Kadungure Farming Matters
LIVESTOCK is the backbone of many rural communities and one significant evil confronting resource-poor farmers is stock-theft. Community policing and rapport with police need to be strengthened to combat this vice as it has a traumatic effect on livestock-owners and presents a direct threat to their economic survival and efforts to rebuild the national head.
Stock-theft is more severe on poor communal farmers who own small numbers of animals than on their commercial counterparts who have access to advanced security measures such as fences and electronic tags for their livestock, which makes them relatively harder to steal.
Stock-theft has become an uncontrollable challenge as farmers complain about their cattle, sheep, goats and donkeys having been stolen and most of these farmers lack financial means to make a rapid recovery and this will subsequently cripple their farming practices, food security, rural livelihoods and incomes since they are a source of barter for other commodities, food, manure, draught power, transport and a readily marketable asset to meet household financial needs.
Farming Matters was this week inundated by calls from farmers in resettlement areas in Manicaland who are bitter about the re-emergence of a well organized syndicate of stock thieves. The farmers complained that these thieves, wrecking havoc in the Odzi area of Mutare district, have a sound financial and motorized backing.
The hardest hit areas are Village R (Chikundu; Mapembe; Nyagundi; Nyamazura and Chakaza, where several farmers had ventured into cattle, goat and sheep production with remarkable success.
Most animals are stolen from village kraals and from cattle posts and fears are that these criminals could be armed, and in most cases attempts by stockowners to trace and recover animals on their own have been futile and risky.
Farmers said the thieves pounce at night, and use the similar modus operandi of targeting bovines from cattle pans — then drive them to the outskirts of the villages — where they will slaughter, skin and peel off the flesh. The thieves leave behind the bones and hides, probably to alert and at the same time provoke the communities about their evil deeds.
There is, among these farmers, a strong perception that some unscrupulous locals, police officers, bogus traditional leaders and businessmen are involved in these criminal networks. The businesspeople, particularly butchery operators and backyard take-away operators, offer a ready market for these daring thieves.
Members of the community are of the view that these elements orchestrate stock-theft operations and that they are involved in registering, transporting and marketing stolen animals. Some farmers hire thieves and buy stolen animals.
Some locals contribute to the problem in various ways, from turning a blind eye to stolen animals in their villages to protecting and harbouring thieves and providing false documentation for stolen stock.
“The entire wealth and livelihood of our households is being wiped out as a result of these stock theft operation. This has resulted in loss of income for the affected farmers. The stock-theft has become more organized and we suspect these syndicates involve locals.
“How can we prepare for the next season when these criminals are killing our oxen which we rely on for draught power? These criminal activities have an impact on our preparations for the next season,” said one Mr Jaha, of Chikundu Village.
Manicaland deputy police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Luxson Chananda concurred with the farmer’s suspicions that the criminals could be working with some unscrupulous locals.
“As police we are investigating these cases but farmers need to work hand-in-glove with local security apparatus to bust these syndicates, which we suspect, could be working with local elements in the respective areas and these are the people that need to be sniffed out. It is very rare for outsiders to come and steal without the involvement of locals,” said Asst Insp Chananda.
The incidents in Odzi show that anti-stock campaigns that are being carried out by police and the veterinary departments were not effective as stock theft syndicates transport animals from one village to another and eventually to local butcheries and market without hitches.
This indicates that stolen animals are being transported easily within the province and readily exchanged for cash or other stuff, rendering the evil a lucrative venture.
“The situation is terrible here. Stock theft has become a cancer. Last week they drove a very big bovine belonging to Mr Machipisa out of the kraal. They skinned it on the outskirts of the village and peel off all the flesh, leaving behind all the bones and hide. It is a pity. Their precision has fueled speculation that they are working in cohorts with criminal elements that reside locally,” explained Mr Shupikai Mvurumutiya, a farmer the same area.
These affected areas fall within the jurisdiction of Mutare Rural District Council.
The stock owners reported that their vulnerability has been worsened by an influx of squatters at the behest of self imposing and dubious traditional leaders in their respective areas.
The farmers appealed to Mutare RDC to stop the influx of squatters in these old resettlement areas.
Some of the issues that farmers can take up to increase the security of their animals, property and areas are as follows:
First, farmers should to take up the issue of cattle branding seriously. The idea of cattle branding was mooted after the realization that the number of cattle stolen every year was increasing. The veterinary services and other stakeholders are working with the police in raising awareness on the importance of cattle-branding. The branding system, together with the deterrent measures through stiffer penalties is expected to combat stock theft.
Second, livestock-owners should not hesitate to visit or contact their local anti-stock theft unit regularly. If sound rapport and communication channels exist, joint strategies can be planned that will result in greater successes.
Stock thieves benefit if the relationship between the livestock-owners and the police is poor.
It is a proven fact that where co-operation between the livestock-owners and the police is such that a formidable team is formed against stock theft, the rewards are favourable when it comes to the prevention and combating of this crime.
Manicaland has a fully fledged provincial anti stock theft unit that addresses all provincial matters regarding stock theft and livestock-owners who encounter problems regarding the investigation of stock theft cases, can bring it to the attention of the provincial unit and if they are unable to solve the problem it will be referred to the national unit.
Third, livestock-owners should at all times report all livestock theft cases on their property immediately. Delay minimizes possibility of achieving success and in the event of animals that were reported to police to have been stolen being recovered by farmers themselves, the investigating officer should be informed immediately.
Fourth, farmers should not report false stock theft cases to police for the sake of conning insurance. Valuable time is being wasted on such cases that could have been spent on genuine stock theft cases.
Fifth, stock theft cases are sometimes withdrawn due to lack of interest or reluctance on the part of some complainants to attend court proceedings. Farmers must show interest in solved cases and attend court cases until the end. However, closely related to this, is the tedious and slow prosecution process involved.
The police are experiencing serious problems and cannot respond promptly to crimes. They take too long to investigate thoroughly and consequently there is a delay in handing dockets over for prosecution. There are huge backlogs and suspects either have to remain in custody for a long time before they start serving their actual prison term or are acquitted.
Farmers should enhance their local community policing by patrolling their areas at night. It is advisable for farmers to establish their kraals in once area for easy nightly patrol by local security apparatus. The farmers must work with the local police and anti-stock theft unit, and not against them. Support them in their efforts to help you.
There are also some incidents that signal and indicate imminent community attacks for which farmers should be on the look out to protect their property and loved ones:
These include unknown persons roaming in the area; unknown vehicles, tracks or camping activities in the area; changes in the normal behaviour of local employees; unexplainable death of guard or community dogs and unknown persons that are visiting your property without apparent good explanations.
Some good habits that can enhance the security at households include keeping good control over visitors and being very clear about the period of time that they will be staying in the village.
Farmers must also foster good relationships with employees and place copies of their identity documents on file as well as keep a family photo of your employees. They must reward employees for useful hints and information.
Farmers must secure their homestead and keep all implements and tools that could be used as weapons, in safe places. Farmers should change daily surveillance routines to avoid being predictable, while employees should be trained to pay attention to irregularities. Employees should follow up on suspicious activities on the farm.
Farmers must be prepared for crime generally and take cognizance of suspect vehicles making use of community roads or even camping in the area and suspicious persons strolling about. Note down their actions and registration numbers and notify your neighbours and the police.
Online Reporter