Namibia police sign agreement with farmers to prevent stock theft

• The Namibian police and four farmers' organisations have signed a 10-year agreement to prevent stock theft and other crimes affecting farmers.
• The partnership brings together the police with the NAU, NECFU, NNFU, and PDNFU, building on the success of a previous agreement signed in 2020.
• The new agreement will provide a framework for working together to prevent, detect and reduce crimes affecting farmers, particularly stock theft.
• The partnership aims to address the challenges facing farmers and the economy, with each organisation taking on specific responsibilities to help implement measures aimed at preventing stock theft.

Crime in rural areas, particularly stock theft, illegal grazing, poaching, vandalism of infrastructure, and other offences affecting agricultural production, continues to pose serious challenges to farmers and the country's economy.

A decade-long agreement between the Namibian police and four farmers' organisations has been signed, marking a significant step in the fight against stock theft and other crimes affecting agricultural production. The partnership brings together the police with the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), the Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers' Union (NECFU), the Namibia National Farmers' Union (NNFU) and the Previously Disadvantaged Namibians' Farmers' Union (PDNFU). This collaboration is built on the success of a previous agreement signed between the police and NAU in 2020, which strengthened cooperation between law enforcement and the farming community through the national rural safety strategy. The new partnership will provide a framework for working together to prevent, detect and reduce crimes affecting farmers, with each organisation taking on specific responsibilities to help implement measures aimed at preventing stock theft.

The agreement was signed at the police national headquarters in Windhoek, marking a significant milestone in the country's efforts to combat rural crime. The partnership will remain in force for 10 years, providing a sustained effort to address the challenges facing farmers and the economy.

The new agreement is built on the foundation laid by the national rural safety strategy, which has been instrumental in strengthening cooperation between the police and the farming community. The Joint Crime Prevention Forum, established in 2018 by NAU and NECFU, has also played a crucial role in providing advice on rural safety, supporting regional safety initiatives and creating a platform for dialogue between farmers and law enforcement officers. Acting inspector general Anne-Marie Nainda recognised the importance of this collaboration, stating that crime in rural areas continues to pose serious challenges to farmers and the country's economy.

The previous agreement signed between the police and NAU in 2020 came to an end in March 2024, but its impact is still being felt. The new partnership aims to build on this success, providing a framework for sustained cooperation between the police and farmers' organisations.

The agreement will have far-reaching implications for agricultural production in Namibia, with stock theft continuing to pose significant challenges to farmers. The partnership aims to provide a framework for working together to prevent, detect and reduce crimes affecting farmers, particularly stock theft. This is crucial given the impact of rural crime on the country's economy.

The new agreement replaces one signed between the police and NAU in 2020, which came to an end in March 2024. The partnership will remain in force for 10 years, providing a sustained effort to address the challenges facing farmers and the economy.

Lawyers advising clients on agricultural production in Namibia should be aware of the new 10-year agreement between the police and farmers' organisations to prevent stock theft, which may impact compliance with rural safety regulations.

Source: Original reporting via Namibian