Agricultural Wardens Programme To Be Piloted Shortly

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Floyd Green, says the proposed agricultural wardens programme will be piloted shortly as the Government intensifies measures to protect farmers against praedial larceny.

He said that the wardens will have power of arrest.

“We want to get people on the ground, just like the district constables, but they (agricultural wardens) will be tasked with protecting agricultural produce. They will have the powers of police officers. They will come from the [farming communities] and they will keep watching,” he pointed out.

The Minister noted that the praedial larceny programme has been expanded, with the addition of praedial larceny units across seven police divisions, and designated police officers, including detectives, tasked with handling cases of farm theft.

The divisions are Trelawny, St. Catherine North, St. Catherine South, Clarendon, St. Mary, St. Elizabeth, and St. Thomas.

Minister Green noted that resources are flowing into the units, including new vehicles to increase the mobility of the officers.

Minister Green was speaking at the official opening of the Low Leyton/Lennox Production Zones in Portland on Wednesday (June 23).

During the ceremony, the Agro-Investment Corporation (AIC), which has management responsibility for the two agricultural areas, handed out lease agreements to farmers operating within the zones.