Praedial larceny in Antigua and Barbuda is being driven not only by criminal intent, but by the very conditions under which farmers are forced to operate each day. According to Antigua Observer, a veteran veterinary professional has raised the alarm over the worsening situation facing the country's livestock farmers.
Dr Radcliffe Robins, a veterinary professional with over 30 years of experience in the field, told Antigua Observer that while most livestock owners are doing everything within their means to protect their animals, failing infrastructure is leaving them dangerously exposed to theft.
Dr Robins' remarks point to a broader systemic challenge confronting Antigua and Barbuda's agricultural sector — one where inadequate facilities and support structures are compounding the vulnerability of farmers who depend on their livestock for their livelihoods.
As reported by Antigua Observer, praedial larceny, the theft of farm produce and animals, has been on the rise across the twin-island nation, placing additional strain on an agricultural community already grappling with a range of economic pressures.
Dr Robins' decades of frontline experience lend weight to his assessment that addressing livestock theft cannot be achieved through enforcement measures alone. Meaningful improvement, he suggests, will require tackling the underlying infrastructure deficiencies that make farms easy targets in the first place.
