The police and four farmers' organisations have signed a 10-year agreement to strengthen efforts to prevent stock theft and other crimes affecting farmers across the country.

The agreement was signed on Friday at the police national headquarters in Windhoek.

The partnership brings together the police, the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), the Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers' Union (NECFU), the Namibia National Farmers' Union (NNFU) and the Previously Disadvantaged Namibians' Farmers' Union (PDNFU).

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The agreement will provide a framework for working together to prevent, detect and reduce crimes affecting farmers, especially stock theft.

The new agreement replaces one signed between the police and the NAU on 5 March 2020, which came to an end in March 2024.

Acting inspector general Anne-Marie Nainda says the previous agreement strengthened cooperation between the police and the farming community through the national rural safety strategy.

Nainda said it also improved communication and cooperation between farmers and law enforcement officers.

The agreement will remain in force for 10 years, with each organisation taking on specific responsibilities to help implement measures aimed at preventing stock theft.

"Crime in rural areas, particularly stock theft, illegal grazing, poaching, vandalism of infrastructure, and other offences affecting agricultural production, continues to pose serious challenges to farmers and the country's economy," Nainda said.

She also recognised the work of the Joint Crime Prevention Forum, which was established in 2018 by the NAU and the Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers' Union.

Nainda said the forum has strengthened cooperation between farmers and the police by providing advice on rural safety, supporting regional safety initiatives and creating a platform for dialogue between farmers and law enforcement officers.