Agricultural economists Sipho Madyo and Siphe Zantsi from the Agricultural Research Council discuss stock theft’s ongoing impact on South African farmers and why existing measures fall short.
In South Africa, stock theft is a serious problem that impacts farmers and the agriculture industry. In 2022/23 alone, more than 55 000 livestock were stolen in the country.
Usually, the stolen animals are sold on the black market, which negatively affects food security and causes financial losses for farmers. Due to the vast size of South Africa’s rural areas, it is difficult for law enforcement to efficiently patrol and supervise all the farmland.
Furthermore, there is a high demand for stolen livestock in illegal markets, where criminals can sell the stolen animals without proper documentation or traceability. Moreover, some farmers may lack adequate security measures, such as fencing, surveillance, and patrols, making them vulnerable to theft.
Limited resources and competing priorities may hinder law enforcement agencies from effectively combating stock theft. Additionally, corruption within the system can exacerbate the problem. Efforts implemented to stop the ongoing crime of stock theft, such as increased patrols and surveillance, livestock identification and traceability, legislation, and penalties, are not sufficient to deter stock thieves.
Early detection is key
One of the factors that aid stock thieves is the late detection of stolen livestock by farmers. This is largely due to the default grazing system in communal areas, where animals graze in a common area that is often unfenced. Sometimes, animals go unchecked by the farmer for days.
To help address this issue, there has been a push for the adoption of new, innovative technologies to aid in the early detection of stolen livestock. One such technological device is the GPS ear or leg tag for livestock.
GPS livestock tags refer to electronic devices equipped with global positioning system (GPS) technology attached to cattle for tracking and monitoring their movements. These tags are commonly used in livestock management to provide farmers with real-time information about the location and behaviour of their livestock.
One of the myths surrounding the use of this technology in the farming community is that it is too expensive; however, this is not necessarily true.
Leveraging GPS
GPS-enabled ear tags allow farmers to track the location of their cattle in real time. This feature is crucial in preventing and recovering stolen livestock. In the event of theft, GPS technology enables a quicker response from law enforcement or the farm owner. The ability to locate stolen cattle promptly increases the likelihood of a successful recovery.
The information collected through GPS tracking can also be used for data-driven decision-making in livestock management. This can include optimising grazing patterns, monitoring animal health, and improving overall herd management practices.
However, the challenge has been that this technology might not be affordable for small-scale or communal farmers. Our survey data collected from communal farmers around Alice and Lusikisiki shows that the main barrier to adoption is a lack of knowledge about its existence, how it works, where to purchase it, and its price range.
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Of the 150 farmers we surveyed about GPS ear tags, 95% had never heard of them. However, when we demonstrated how the technology works and its benefits, approximately 90% were interested and willing to purchase it. Furthermore, most farmers were shocked by the price, as many assumed it would be unaffordable.
We also established that a sizeable number of communal farmers in the Eastern Cape hire shepherds, mainly from Lesotho, who are paid about R1 500 – R2 500 per month to tend a herd of cattle or a flock of sheep.
This is within the price range of a GPS tracking device. For example, according to iSiTech, one of South Africa’s leading companies supplying this technology, the average price of a solar-powered ear tag GPS tracker system for cattle is R12 000, while the belt-like tracker without a solar panel costs about R2 500. Farmers who hire shepherds are also more likely to own smartphones that could be linked to the GPS tracker.
Indeed, some farmers are already using livestock GPS trackers, although they are not from the villages we surveyed. One farmer from Peddie, just outside King William’s Town, was able to recover three Nguni cattle that had been stolen and loaded onto a truck. Using the tracker, he could chase the truck with police assistance, as he had proof of his animals’ whereabouts and movement in real time.
Advantages of discreet GPS ear tags
Another cattle farmer from Ndabakazi in Butterworth was able to recover his Brahman bull, which was stolen while grazing in a field next to the N2 road from Butterworth to East London. This was a daylight robbery.
About six men arrived with a bakkie pulling a trailer, cornered the bull next to a fence, loaded it into the trailer, and drove away. Some community members witnessed the incident and notified the owner’s relatives. The owner, who works in Johannesburg, was also able to see the movement of his bull via GPS tracking and alerted the police to follow the tracker’s signal.
In both incidents, the thieves were unaware that the animals had GPS trackers, likely mistaking them for ordinary identification ear tags. This highlights the importance of choosing the right type of GPS tracker. A belt-like tracker wrapped around the neck is easily spotted and removed by thieves, whereas ear tags are more discreet and difficult to remove without raising suspicion.
Finally, a farmer does not need GPS ear tags on every animal in the herd. In most herds or flocks, there is a leader or leaders. To minimise costs, a farmer can track only the leaders instead of the entire herd.
- Sipho Madyo and Siphe Zantsi are both agricultural economists at the Agricultural Research Council. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Food For Mzansi.
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