Malta Youth in Agriculture and Moviment Graffitti say Agricultural Leases reforms are not far-reaching enough
The Agricultural Leases White Paper is “not far-reaching enough” and will lead to more harm than good according to farming NGO Malta Youth in Agriculture and Moviment Graffitti, who have published their joint feedback as part of the consultation process.
The two civil society groups have highlighted a number of issues with the proposal, such as the lack of definition of “genuine” and “bona-fide” farmers, how the “affordable” market rates will be determined, and also how the “board of experts” will be appointed. There is also no clarity as to why the proposed Authority will act as an intermediary
Similarly, the White Paper lacks a proper definition of “agricultural lease”, makes no mention of how the new Authority’s provisions will be enforced, and leaves young farmers out of the equation.
The two groups recommend the value of land should be based not on the current inflated market value, but on established criteria such as water supply, size of land, soil fertility, proximity to access, and other criteria.
“While we feel the proposed White Paper is a much needed step in the right direction, the document is rather vague in its definitions and leaves space for loopholes that can cause more problems than solutions in the local agricultural sector,” the groups said in a joint statement.
The groups have also reacted to the Agricultural Leases (Reletting) Act, 2022, which had been tabled in Parliament on the same day as the Agricultural Leases White Paper.
“Bill nr 15 is already at the second reading stage in Parliament, but the consultation is still open. The sector is still waiting for an important pronouncement from the courts which could change the scenario of the constitutionality of agricultural leases. Moreover, should this Bill become law, it might create more uncertainty than it aims to resolve.”
MaYA and Moviment Graffitti make a series of recommendations including the postponement of the Bill until the Constitutional Court decides on Vincenza sive Sina Magro v. L-Avukat Tal-iStat, as well specific criteria for the determination of the market rental value and the exclusion of potential recreational use from the valuation of agricultural lands.
The feedback to both proposed laws can be found here:
White Paper on Agricultural Leases
https://www.maya.org.mt/post/agriculture-land-reform-white-paper-feedback
Agricultural Leases Reletting Act
https://www.maya.org.mt/post/position-paper-on-bill-no-15
Il-White Paper dwar il-kirjiet tal-art agrikola “mhijiex suffiċjenti” u se twassal għal iżjed problemi milli soluzzjonijiet fis-settur, skont Malta Youth in Agriculture u l-Moviment Graffitti, li ppreżentaw ir-rispons konġunt tagħhom bħala parti mill-proċess ta’ konsultazzjoni.
Iż-żewġ gruppi indikaw numru ta’ nuqqasijiet fil-proposti, fosthom in-nuqqas ta’ definizzjoni ta’ x’inhu “bidwi ġenwin” u kif ir-rati tas-suq “affordabbli” se jiġu determinati, u mhux ċar kif se jinħatar il-bord tal-esperti. Barra minn hekk, mhux ċar kif l-Awtorità se taġixxi ta’ “intermedjarja.”
Bl-istess mod, il-White Paper ma tinkludix definizzjoni xierqa ta’ “kirja agrikola” u ma ssir ebda referenza għall-mod kif se jiġu infurzati d-dispożizzjonijiet tal-Awtorità, u ma jissemmewx lanqas il-bdiewa żgħażagħ.
Iż-żewġ gruppi jirrakkomandaw li l-valur tal-art agrikola ma jiġix determinat skont ir-rati tas-suq ta’ bħalissa, li huma minfuħin, iżda fuq kriterji stabbiliti fosthom id-daqs tal-art, il-provvista tal-ilma, il-fertilità tal-ħamrija, l-aċċess, u kriterji oħrajn.
“Filwaqt li nħossu li l-White Paper hija pass importanti fid-direzzjoni t-tajba, id-dokument huwa pjuttost vag fid-definizzjonijiet u jħalli spazju għal ċertu lakuni li jistgħu joħolqu iżjed problemi milli soluzzjonijiet fis-settur,” jgħidu l-gruppi fl-istqarrija.
Huma taw ukoll ir-reazzjonijiet tagħhom għall-Agricultural Leases (Reletting) Act, 2022, li tressaq fil-Parlament fl-istess jum tal-White Paper.
“Dan l-Att diġà qiegħed fit-tieni qari fil-Parlament minkejja li l-konsultazzjoni għadha miftuħa. Is-settur għadu qed jistenna deċiżjoni importanti mill-Qrati li tista’ tbiddel ix-xenarju tal-kostituzzjonjalità tal-kirjiet tal-art agrikola. Barra minn hekk, jekk dan l-abbozz isir liġi, jista’ joħloq iżjed inċertezza milli inaqqasha.”
MaYa u Moviment Graffitti għamlu serje ta’ rakkomandazzjonijiet fosthom li l-abbozz jiġi pospost għal wara d-deċiżjoni tal-Qorti Kostituzzjonali fuq Vincenza sive Sina Magro v. L-Avukat tal-Istat, kif ukoll kriterji speċifiċi għall-mod kif jiġi determinat il-valur tas-suq tal-kera, u li l-użu rikreattiv potenzjali tal-art ikun eskluż mill-valutazzjoni.
Ir-rispons uffiċjali għaż-żewġ liġijiet proposti jista’ jinqara hawn:
White Paper dwar il-Kirjiet Agrikoli
https://www.maya.org.mt/post/agriculture-land-reform-white-paper-feedback
Agricultural Leases Reletting Act
