Posted on December, 14, 2017 at 11:35 am
By SILAS APOLLO
The government will punish owners of idle fertile land in what it said was a bid to increase the area of crop production.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett Wednesday said that the ministry will propose a change in law to compel owners of unused land to pay higher taxes on the properties should they fail to either use them for farming or lease them to investors.
Also targeted are parastatals which Mr Bett said own huge parcels of arable land, but most of which were idle.
At least 60,000 acres of fertile land lies idle under the custody of parastatals and private owners, said the CS.
“If you have land and you are not using it, it is just in order that we compel you to lease it out. If not, then you will pay penalties. We will look into the law to make that possible,” said Mr Bett.
CHANGE LAW
He said the law change, which will be done in partnership with the Lands ministry, will help the government to achieve its target of a food secure nation by increasing production which currently projected at 37 million for the year ending 2017.
Currently, the law gives every Kenyan the right to own a property privately, provided that it has been acquired legally.
The Constitution states that such a property, can be held either individually or in association with others.
COUNTIES
And while the management of land is a responsibility of the national government, counties, which are responsible for the collection of land rates and levies, will also be part of the plan.
The Council of Governors agriculture committee chairman Okoth Obado, who had accompanied the CS, said the counties will help enact the proposals.
Speaking during a seminar at Safari Park hotel, the CS said the solution to the poor farm yields experienced across the country, was to increase the land under crop, besides promoting better farming techniques by farmers.
“Our projection is that by 2020, we are self-sufficient in maize production,” he said.
Source: Daily Nation