Protecting Livestock Investments: A Call to Strengthen Security in the Value Chain

As an investor or business owner, have you ever felt the pain of losing your investment in one day? I am talking about losing everything you have worked for in a single breath.

This is the harsh reality for many livestock business owners.

For context, I belong to a WhatsApp group (Beef Matters Nigeria Platform) where stakeholders in the livestock value chain share their successes, challenges, and invaluable insights. Among these discussions, one issue rears its ugly head from time to time — the insecurity plaguing our livestock farms and ranches.

This insecurity often manifests as cattle rustling, which involves the theft of cattle by individuals or groups, causing significant economic loss and hardship for livestock business owners.

Experiences Shared:

So many members have shared their harrowing experiences. Let me highlight some of the ones I have read from the group:

A member operating from Ogun State recounted a recent attack: "cattle rustlers attacked our farm at Sagamu - Abeokuta Expressway. They macheted my farm worker into a coma and rustled 11 bulls and pregnant cows."

Another member, operating from Adamawa State, shared a heartbreaking loss: "In 2019, my family lost 220 heads of cattle to rustlers. We did not recover a single head."

From firsthand experience, a member described a brutal incident: "When 11 of our cows were rustled years ago, I saw the machete cuts inflicted on our herdsman by the rustlers."

Reflecting on a recent theft, a member lamented: "Last year, cattle rustlers tied up my workers at gunpoint, stealing valuable livestock intended for Ileya celebrations."

Another member revealed: "A herdsman we employed betrayed us, stealing and selling two of our cattle at a market in Abeokuta."

"A client bought 3 bulls from our farm, but the driver he brought to come and carry the cows drove off with the bulls. He was later caught around Berger in Lagos with the bulls."

"Same thing happened to my farm this time last year. The cattle rustlers came with guns, tied my workers, and went away with 8 big bulls for Ileya and one pregnant cow. But with the help of Seriki Fulani and the police, we managed to nab them. Unfortunately, all the bulls were slaughtered instantly at the abattoir. May God help us."

" Like 5 weeks ago, thieves came to my friend's farm and took all his sheep, including the pregnant ones and some rams for fattening — about 30. They came with guns."

These are just some of the many heart-wrenching stories shared by members of the group. The devastating impact of cattle rustling cannot be overstated.

I tried searching for concrete statistics regarding the annual number of cattle rustled in Nigeria, but comprehensive data proved elusive. However, multiple research studies and reports strongly indicate that incidents of cattle rustling occur in the millions each year. These incidents not only pose severe economic challenges to livestock farmers but also contribute significantly to insecurity.

Solutions Proposed:

These stories from our group compel us to take decisive action. I feel so discouraged and pained every time I read about these people losing their livestock through rustling. From discussions within our group, several solutions have been suggested:

1. Enhanced Traceability: For starters, all animals and their corresponding farms need to be registered in a central registry. Cattle markets should also be registered, recording every animal that enters and exits the markets.
2. Technological Innovations: Adopting tagging and tracking technologies such as RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and wireless rumen boluses for livestock monitoring.
3. Branding of Animals: Implementing visible and permanent branding of animals to deter theft and aid in quick identification and recovery.
4. Community Collaboration: Strengthening ties with local communities and herders to foster mutual support and improve security measures.
5. Compensative Insurance: Introducing insurance policies tailored to cover losses from cattle rustling and theft, providing financial protection to farmers. I honestly do not know how feasible this is.
6. CCTV and Monitoring Systems: Implementing surveillance technologies like CCTV and remote monitoring to enhance farm security and deter criminal activities.
7. Strict Market Policies: Advocating for stringent market regulations that enforce due diligence before animals are allowed into cattle markets, reducing the sale of stolen livestock.
8. Boost Security Measures: Calling for the deployment of police or military personnel to provide heightened security on livestock farms, deterring criminal activities and ensuring safer environments for farmers.

About two years ago, we explored digging trenches around the perimeter of our facility to mitigate the risk of rustling. While the idea showed promise in enhancing security, the cost implications were staggering.

Join the Conversation:

These are challenging times for livestock farmers across Nigeria, but together, we can overcome the threats of theft and insecurity to achieve #SDG1 (No poverty, #SDG2 (Zero hunger), and #SDG8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

The solutions proposed above are drawn from the collective wisdom and experiences shared among members of the group but do YOU have a solution that was not highlighted here? Drop your ideas and experiences in the comments below or connect with me directly.

Your insights matter, as policymakers and stakeholders will be listening.

Let's work together to protect our workers and investments, and build a resilient future for livestock farming in Nigeria.

#LivestockFarming #CattleRustling #Agribusiness #FarmSecurity #livestocktraceability

P.S: All the real-life experiences shared in this article were extracted from the Beef Matters Nigeria Platform on WhatsApp.

To join: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KOqgZ4XdNgyDu5BjSnMZpU

Latifah is an Agribusiness professional with a strong foundation in agribusiness management and a passion for driving positive change, Latifah is dedicated to creating a more resilient and sustainable agricultural landscape in Nigeria.