EALA today resumed its Sitting in Nairobi and adopted the Report of the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources on agricultural investments in the continent. In his remarks during the opening of the Session, Speaker of the Kenya National Assembly, Rt. Hon Justin Muturi urged the Partner States to uphold good governance through adherence to the principles of democracy, rule of law, accountability and transparency.
Rt. Hon Muturi maintained that Kenya National Assembly would remain steadfast in its support for EALA as necessary to actualize the realization of the dream and mandate of bringing East Africans together.
The Speaker of EALA, Rt. Hon Margaret Nantongo Zziwa hailed the Kenya National Assembly for its contribution to the EAC process.
Article 49 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC envisages the liaison with the National Assemblies of the Partner States on matters related to the Community.
“It is pleasing to note that the 11th Parliament has now established a fully-fledged Regional Integration Committee. EALA has already engaged with the Committee led by Hon Florence Kajuju and we look forward to strengthening the ties even further” Rt. Hon Zziwa remarked.
The Report of the Committee that was tabled followed an EALA seminar held in Kigali, Rwanda on April 26-27, 2013 and themed: Making Agricultural Investments Work for Africa: A Parliamentarian Response to the Land Rush. The workshop was co-organised by the Pan-African Parliament, Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA) and the International Institute on Sustainable Development (IISD).
The Report cites certain concerns including gaps in knowledge and access to information on land use, the need to create a balance between long-term development goals and short term needs in agriculture and adoption of best practices and inclusive business models.
The legislators are calling for support of the implementation of the Nairobi Action Plan of the Land Policy Initiative and wants partnerships with key African institutions, drafting legislation on large scale land investments and monitoring and evaluation of investment projects. At the same time, it is vital to develop a model investment contract by reviewing existing contracts.
EALA thus recommends that governments of the Partner States should implement legally binding and enforceable obligations on investors to ensure investment contributes to the well-being of the society. The legislators want the citizens of the region fully consulted before decisions on investments are made.
The analysis of land tenure systems is considered key with a view to strengthening them and / while protecting rights of the vulnerable groups.
“While land is not on the agenda of the EAC integration, yet it keeps coming in Foreign Direct Investment, the Committee urges EAC Partner States to consult and find a common solution on issues of FDI and land use”, a section of the Report noted.
During debate today, Hon Dan Kidega remarked that land was a primary economic factor of production. “We cannot avoid talking about land however sensitive it is and I am disappointed with the clauses of the Common Market Protocol that bracket land as national issues”, he said calling for the harmonization of land tenure systems. The legislator said it was a time to have a regional framework to address desertification amongst other challenges.
Hon Abubakar Zein reiterated that land was a critical issue in the continent and lauded the Assembly for engaging in pan-African wide consultations. “We have an onerous responsibility to develop policies that shall enable proper utilization and management of the resources”, he remarked.
Hon Adam Kimbisa noted that pre-colonial Africa had disorganized the land tenure system turning African into landless persons and they became tillers. He said it was time to regulate FDIs noting that many factors had led to land grabbing in the region and the continent. “We must have harmonious laws that enable citizens and small-scale farmers to benefit from the land they own”, he said.
The Counsel to the Community, Hon Wilbert Kaahwa maintained that it was time for the region to have laws on Transparency for investment of land. At the moment, according to the Report, only Liberia has a law on Transparency in the continent.
Hon Dr. Odette Nyiramillimo termed food security key and called for measures to be put in place to address the matter.
Hon Emerence Bucumi urged the continent to adhere to the Maputo Declaration. The Protocol inter alia calls on Partner States to allocate 10% of their Gross Domestic Product on agriculture.
The report was further supported by Hon Saoli ole Nkanae who called for consumerism to protect local food production industries. Hon Nancy Abisai, Hon Abdulkarim Harelimana, Hon Judith Pareno, Hon Taslima Twaha, Hon Peter Mathuki and Hon Christophe Bazivamo.
The Chair of the Council of Ministers Hon Shem Bageine noted that sub-division of land was in essence killing economies. He called on the Partner States to re-examine land use before passing legislation and policies. “We must move away from peasantry and look at how we can maximize profitson the land” the Minister remarked.
Hon Bageine called for strengthening of the Co-operative movement to spur produce and marketing of commodities.
-Ends-
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