Preah Sihanouk province, 28 – 29 March 2016: The inputs and recommendations from stakeholders for improving the draft Law on Agricultural Land have been heard and considered by the working group of general directorate of agriculture (GDA), MAFF. In collaboration with Network of Food Security and Safety in Cambodia (NDF-C), Land and Housing Right Network (LARHIN), NGO Forum and General Directorate of Agriculture, MAFF co-organized a geographic consultation workshop.
It has been observed that the participants have a good opportunity to share and discuss their inputs openly in terms of legal aspects and socio-economic conditions reflecting in the draft law. A front liner agribusiness company Mong Reththy Group actively engaged and provided a lot of inputs based on their advance practices. Also, woman farmer champions raised their experience which reflect in their life to include as important substances to improve the quality of the draft and to ensure it´s appropriate within a Cambodian context.
103 participants (31 females) from private sector, farmers, NGOs and the Provincial Department of Agriculture (PDA), the Provincial Department of Land Management, Urbanization, and Construction (PDLMUPC), and the Provincial Department of Water Resources and Meteorology (PDWRM) of the 8 Capital and provinces (Phnom Penh capital and provinces of Kandal, Svay Rieng, Takeo, Kep, Kampot, Preah Sihanouk, Koh Kong, and Kampong Speu) have involved and engagement in the consultation workshop.
A preliminary draft Law on Agricultural Land, which consisted of 11 Chapters and 93 Articles. This preliminary draft Law was then sent to be reviewed and revised Deputy Director General Directorate of Agriculture before submitted for discussion in the working group. Once again, this resulted in the first draft Law on Agricultural Land with 13 Chapters and 113 Articles.
The second workshop will be held in Battambang province with participants from the provinces of Kampong Chhnang, Pursat, Battambang, Pailin, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Uddor Meanchey, and Preah Vihear; and the third will be held in either Kampong Cham or Kratie province with participants from the provinces of Kampong Thom, Kampong Cham, Tboung Khmum, Kratie, Stung Treng, Ratanakakiri, Mondulkiri, and Prey Veng on May 2016. Meanwhile, a national consultative workshop is scheduled for the fourth week of June 2016 with approximately 108 participants from ministries/agencies, the 25 Capital and provincial authorities, development partners, civil society organizations, and the private sector.
