Agricultural, Food‑Security and Water, and Fisheries Committee Holds Hearing on Two Draft Laws Concerning State‑Owned Agricultural Land
The Committee on Agriculture, Food Security and Water, and Fisheries of the Assembly of the People’s Representatives convened a hearing session dedicated to examining two draft laws on state‑owned agricultural lands, as part of ongoing efforts to stimulate agricultural investment and regularise pending land‑ownership cases.
First Part of the Session – Draft Law No. 32 of 2025
The opening segment focused on Draft Law No. 32 of 2025 concerning the re‑allocation and re‑attribution of exploited state‑owned agricultural lands.
- Purpose: The legislators who introduced the bill explained that the aim is to integrate these lands into the economic cycle and to provide justice to farmers who have been cultivating neglected state lands for decades without obtaining title deeds or regularising their status.
- Background: They highlighted the sluggish performance of the consultative commissions created under Decree No. 1870 of 2015 (dated 20 November 2015), whose regularisation rate has not exceeded 15 % over ten years. The lawmakers argue that legislative action is required to overcome these bottlenecks.
- Protection Goal: The proposal also seeks to safeguard agricultural land from fragmentation and chaotic urbanisation by consolidating and organising its exploitation while respecting state ownership.
Parliamentary Reactions
During the debate, several deputies praised the significance of the initiative and raised a series of formal and substantive questions, including:
- Clarification of “re‑allocation” – What exactly does the term entail in this context?
- Definition of the lands concerned – Which specific state‑owned parcels are covered by the draft law?
- Legal compatibility – Does the proposal align with Law No. 21 of 1995 on State Agricultural Property?
The discussion underscored the need for clear legislative language and coherence with existing property statutes before the draft can move forward.
