By Muhammad Saleem
Livestock is a vital asset for farmers in rural areas and they need effective mechanisms to protect their animals from the cattle lifters. The surging incidents of cattle lifting are significantly hitting the financial interest of livestock farmers.
Kashif Hussain, a farmer of Tandlianwala, expressing his concerns said cattle lifting is a major issue hitting the farmers adversely. He said the indifferent attitude of the policemen is aggravating their woes.
Talking to Grandlines, he said the Punjab government must take proactive measures and launch an initiative to address cattle lifting issues in the province. He said the farmers are perturbed due to the surging trend of cattle theft and police inability to trace burglars.
The cattle lifting is significantly hitting the financial position of the livestock farmers. He said for farmers cattle are equivalent to cash, as they can readily sell them to obtain money immediately. However, he said protection of their cattle is a daunting task now due to the surging street crimes.
Dr. Ahmed, a faculty member of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, told Grandlines that we are living in an era of technological advancements where anything can be monitored. Pakistan is an agricultural country where livestock is playing a crucial role. However, we have not done enough to protect the animals from diseases and theft.
He said one could check from the statistics that animal theft is a major issue being faced by the farming community. Unfortunately, many farmers still rely on traditional methods to look after their animals. These farmers lack facilities to trace their animals scientifically if they go missing.
Livestock is a major source of income for rural communities, Dr Ahmed said adding the government must ensure tagging of animals. Farmers utilize all their resources to raise animals, and losing even one animal can be devastating for them, he claimed.
Ameer Hussain, another farmer, talking to Grandlines said the cattle theft is impacting their livelihoods and no compensation is available for the poor farmers who lose their animals. He said farmers are contributing significantly to the nation, however, the rulers are prioritizing the influential millers.
He said cattle are prime bread and butter for rural communities, however, our policy makers and law enforcement departments seem not ready to accept it. Owing to their lethargic attitude towards tracing of the stolen animals, the criminals are hitting farmers with impunity, he claimed.
“Animals not only serve farmers, but also cater to the needs of people by providing meat and milk,” he noted.
He anticipates that cattle lifting incidents will register a sharp rise in upcoming days when farmers will travel to cities to sell sacrificial animals.
It’s a ripe time for the government to devise a comprehensive strategy to curb cattle theft and implement it effectively, he suggested.
Muhammad Nasir, a police officer, said community participation is crucial to tackle the longstanding issue of cattle theft. He said its impossible for the police to keep an eye on every single animal. The farmers have to step forward and explore options to monitor the movement of their animals, he suggested.
He said police are committed to protect life and properties of the masses including farmers. However, he said limited resources can hinder efforts of police to trace criminals. In some areas, farmers have developed communities to ensure protection of their properties. These watch programs have reduced the cattle theft incidents in rural areas, he claimed.
Highlighting different approaches to minimize cattle lifting, he said night guards, modern gadgets and adequate fencing are instrumental to curb animal theft. Besides, he argued that a strong community-based reporting system is also needed to quickly alert farmers of nearby areas in case of suspicious activities in their respective areas.
Dr Ahmed said police should form a special unit trained in tackling cattle theft issues.
He said in current circumstances, the technology can help us a lot to arrest the trend of cattle lifting. We must train our farmers to attach GPS tracking devices or RFID tags to their animals and such devices must be provided to them at subsidized rates. These devices will enable farmers to quickly monitor the movement of their animals in real-time.
Moreover, he said farmers should be encouraged to install surveillance cameras at their cattle-pens to deter thieves. He said we know that our farmers are illiterate, however, we have to train them how to use modern gadgets.
Farmers training will not only protect their animals but also improve their efficiency, and sustainable growth of the agricultural sector, he claimed.
