By SOLDIER BURUKA of DAL
The
first formal meeting of the Kairuku-Hiri rice committee in the Central province
has been successfully conducted.
The
committee, formed under the auspices of the Central province commercial rice
project being planned for the Kairuku-Hiri district, was held at Agevairu on
Nov 14.
A
project consultant with the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, Andrew
Kavana, who was also chairman of the meeting, said there was a good turnout,
especially by the chairmen of the four area committees from Mekeo, Roro, Aroa
and Vanapa/Brown River.
Also
in attendance were representative village chiefs, incorporated land group
chairmen, and officials from DAL and Central provincial administration.
Kavana
said that a wide range of issues were discussed including the special
agriculture business lease (SABL), formation of ILGs for the purpose of
participating in the project, progress and importance of land mobilisation in
project sites.
He
advised the meeting that a team tasked to mobilise land was still processing
ILG registrations at Aroa, while the land investigation report was expected to
commence soon after.
Kavana
also informed the meeting that the project needed to prepare and complete a
human resource data for the purpose of employment during the project period.
Copies of DAL’s work plan and the draft deed
of agreement were distributed to the area committee chairmen for their
comments.
Among
the comments made during the meeting were that awareness on the project must continue
to be carried out at all levels of the community, including awareness of ILG
matters.
The
committee was also asked to provide resources to enable the representatives to
perform their tasks.
Paul
Aisa, who represented the Kairuku-Hiri MP, stressed that the project was an
important one for the district; however, the issues relating to land matters
must be sorted out to avoid problems in the future.
He
added that only landowners who were prepared to release their land for the project
should be involved in the negotiations between the government, investor and
community.
Any customary land that is released under the SABL should only be agreed at a term of 10 years and negotiable thereafter. This will ensure operators of these SABL's are kept at task with genuine projects per agreement.
ReplyDeleteToo many investors are robbing the communities with their land with unsustainable agricultural and business projects and it is robbery to lock in any customary land for the term of 99 years.
Educating the communities is the key to any successful project.