The true cost of agricultural crime in SA

The South African agriculture sector is heavily burdened with crime. Using the Free State as a case study, Annelie Coleman spoke to industry stakeholders about the true cost of crime to the local farming community, and the threat it poses to the longterm sustainability of food production in the country.

- Annelie Coleman

The Free State, which is often referred to as the breadbasket or granary of South Africa, produces about 70% of the country’s grain, says Dr Jane Buys, safety and risk analyst at Free State Agriculture (FSA).

She adds that 40% of South Africa’s annual maize harvest comes from the province, as do large quantities of its sorghum (37%), soya bean (34%), wheat (18%), groundnuts (35%), sunflower seed (56%), milk (22,4%), wool (23%), cherries (90%), and red meat (14,6%).

“Each farmer in the Free State is responsible for feeding approximately 3 028 people every year. This sector is also a major source of employment, but our research shows that, in 2017 alone, for example, 5 454 jobs were lost in the Free State’s commercial agriculture sector as a result of crime,” she says.

Buys also points out that, according to the Agri SA 2018 National Agricultural Sector Crime Survey, the total direct cost of agricultural crime in South Africa in 2017 amounted to R5,45 billion, while replacement costs as a result of agricultural crime added up to around R2,3 billion.

“Farmers have organised themselves into farm watch and/or control room structures without any financial support whatsoever from the state. The costs involved have never been included in the Agri SA national survey.

“There are currently 24 control rooms in the Free State, and since the running costs differ from room to room, farmers must each pay between R2 000 and R37 000 every year to keep them going,” she says.