The persistent wave of crop theft across Barbados is pushing established farmers to the brink and discouraging a new generation from entering the industry, farmers and experts have warned. Calls are mounting for urgent action to address the crisis, amid fears the agricultural sector could face an irreversible decline.
At a forum on praedial larceny 25-year-old Jarid Paul said he has long dreamed of going into farming as a side business, but the threat of theft has made him think twice.
“I would like to get into farming one day as a side business or a way to make money,” he told Barbados TODAY.
“But I can see praedial larceny as being one of the main issues stopping young people like me getting into agriculture because we basically grew up seeing a culture where we know the crops on the side of the road are being stolen straight from people’s farm.”
Paul, whose family once operated a farm, said he has witnessed first-hand the emotional and financial toll theft can take.
“You’d come back and see crops pulled out of the ground so it’s a big concern and I would really appreciate it if it could be solved,” he said, noting that there is little farmers can do to protect themselves.
“What are you really left to do as a citizen? There is no deterrent or anything, it’s just we as Barbadians have accepted that, on a whole, if you are a farmer your crops have a high chance of being stolen and there is nothing you can do about it.”
His concerns reflect a broader challenge for the agricultural sector: convincing young people that farming is still worth the risk.
Barbados Agricultural Society CEO James Paul acknowledged the danger of losing the next generation of producers, warning that unless laws are properly enforced and farmers are taken seriously, the sector could see an irreversible decline.
“There’s a lot of talk about increasing watermelon production or whatever [yet] these people are going out of business,” he said.
“You might be seeing in Barbados now, the last set of farmers who are willing to stay in and do anything meaningfully.”
(SM)
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