More than R1-billion was lost to the South African agricultural economy in 2018 from livestock theft.
According to a study released by University of South Africa (Unisa), there were more than 29 000 cases reported over the last financial year, with thousands of animals stolen.
These thefts weigh heavily on the pockets of farmers and put them under immense pressure to find sustainable solutions that don’t bypass the law but do protect their property and their livelihoods.
Agritech, the term for technology designed specifically for the agricultural sector and its unique challenges, has the potential to mitigate the loss of livestock, to reduce financial pressure on the agricultural industry and to minimise the burdens of distance and real-time responses to livestock threats.
FarmRanger, a blend of technology and agricultural devices, delivers a layered platform for livestock management and security.
FarmRanger uses a combination of animal collar and app. The collars are fitted to a select number of animals in the herd – for sheep it is approximately one animal per 300 – and constantly monitor the movement of the sheep and, by extension, the herd.
When any abnormal movement is detected, the system alerts the relevant person, for example the foreman, the farmer or the neighbourhood watch, by sending them a ‘missed call’ from the collar as well as an app notification.
The farmer can then use the app to track the animal in realtime, following the detailed information on the app to find the animal’s location and effectively prevent it from being killed or stolen.
“The rising trend of stock theft makes it essential for farmers to use technology so they can stay one step ahead,” says Marius van der Merwe, product manager of FarmRanger. “However, the solutions need to be simple and reliable, providing farmers with valuable insight when it is needed the most. FarmRanger is designed to be functional and effective, delivering the right information to farmers so they can mitigate the impact of stock theft on their businesses.”
The app also shows daily location updates, historical animal positions, and collar data, such as battery level.
FarmRanger minimises the impact of stock theft while also providing customer service, a track record that spans more than 20 years, and technology that works within existing infrastructure limitations. The collars work on the mobile phone network and doesn’t require that the farms install radio networks. Battery life is up to six months on a rechargeable battery.
The solution comes from the ETSE Electronics stable, which is part of the Alphawave group. It has successfully introduced more than 4 500 active units to 2 000 farms across South Africa and Namibia.
“It is a trusted 24/7 shepherd that now forms an integral part of the agri-sector repertoire and, as such, is continuously undergoing innovation and development to ensure it remains relevant and on the edge of what agri-tech can offer,” says Marnus van Wyk, director of the Alphawave Group responsible for growing the agritech product portfolio.