Vice Chairperson of the Community Against Stock Theft Organization, Kahepako Kakujaha is calling on the government to nationalize the body, saying livestock theft has become a cross-regional problem of unimaginable size.
Kakujaha also says the Criminal Prosecution Act should be repealed to deny bail to repeat offenders.
The consultative meeting brought together representatives from Otjozondjupa and Omaheke Regions.
The meeting agreed to strengthen networking among them to protect their livelihoods, with livestock considered an important source of security for farmers.
Farmers complained that undocumented immigrants pose a threat to the nation, forming cartels to steal animals from farms.
Kakujaha suggested that the Anti Stock Theft Organisation be nationalized, as stock theft traverses into jurisdiction beyond their control.
"When we realized that the cattle that where there was from Aminuis, we realized that this had become like a cross-regional thing, cattle from Aminuis being taken to Otjituuo, as a result, it's where the initiative came that we should invite people from the two regions, the stakeholders particularly the elected councilors, the traditional leaders, farmer's associations and organizations or communities that had organized themselves around community policing with the intent that we merge the two, we come together and formulate ideas and views that would eventually culminate into us taking a formidable position to our politicians nationally."
They suggested a change in the law to ensure that repeat offenders serve harsher sentences.
"It's stiffer sentences for repeat offenders and also for a person with a pending case that relates to stock theft if he goes out on bail and commits a similar offense not to be allowed to be given bail again."
"It signifies the importance of making sure that, looking for ways to mitigate stock theft phenomena, these phenomena are robbing our people of their livelihood, cattle aren't being stolen, it's not a petty crime anymore, one, three cattle, some people are losing 10 to 15 livestock per day whether be it goats or sheep and that is why today meeting it is aimed at looking at ways and also making sure that again that we want to advocate aggressively reforms of some of the relevant laws."