| Various factors have contributed to the negative | | | | We furthermore found that, in spite of some positive |
| impact of the World Food Demand in Africa. It is | | | | achievements - including the introduction of maps, |
| important, however, that I first outline the key issues | | | | deeds and registry systems, and the release of land |
| affecting food demand. | | | | for public infrastructure purposes like schools, hospitals |
| Factors such as population growth, increased demand | | | | and roads - the practical benefits of the Lands |
| in more resource intensive food and the impact of | | | | Commission and other delegated authorities to the |
| petroleum prices have conspired in creating the food | | | | silent majority (i.e. the rural, peri-urban and urban poor, |
| crises | | | | the disabled, the unemployed, the low and |
| While food production increased by 1 to 2 per cent in | | | | middle-income earners, etc.) were not evident. |
| 2008 it was outpaced by a 4 per cent population | | | | It also became evident that interventions by the Lands |
| growth and the trend has not changed. Also the | | | | Commission, such as compulsory acquisition of land |
| gradual change in diet by so-called newly prosperous | | | | and non-payment of compensation, have resulted in |
| populations is regarded by some as the most | | | | social unrest, displacement of villagers, and |
| important factor underpinning the rise in global food | | | | landlessness in affected communities. |
| crisis. | | | | Land administration in Ghana is bedeviled with the |
| We also have the situation where the rise in the price | | | | multiple sale of parcels of land by different parties |
| of oil has heightened the costs of fertilizers in some | | | | claiming ownership of the same parcel of land, the |
| instances doubling the price within the six months | | | | poor use of compulsory acquisition powers by |
| before April 2008. | | | | government agencies to acquire various tracts of land |
| Financial speculation including indiscriminate lending and | | | | for which they are unable to pay compensation, weak |
| real estate speculation led to a crises two years ago, | | | | management, both public and customary, and quite |
| eroding investment in food commodities. This is | | | | recently, the menace of land guards. As of July 2004, |
| coupled with the impact of trade liberalisation, which | | | | there were about 66,000 land disputes before the |
| has ensured that many developing countries have | | | | courts, resulting from the inability of traditional or |
| gone from being food independent to being net food | | | | customary authorities to identify the extent of land |
| importing economies since the 1980s. Africa and other | | | | boundaries. |
| countries are also over time losing out through the use | | | | The foundation for reform - National Land Policy |
| of food crops for producing bio fuels with maize being | | | | Against the background of these problems the NDC |
| a good example as well as producing huge amounts | | | | government began the process of developing a |
| of food crops for export rather than local consumption. | | | | comprehensive land policy for Ghana in 1994, which |
| This is further motivated by the subsidies on bio fuel by | | | | culminated in the launch of the National Land Policy |
| the United States and the EU. | | | | document, the recommendations of which were to be |
| The problem as you can see is not necessarily an | | | | implemented over a period of 15 years, in three, |
| African creation but more of the effect of globalisation. | | | | five-year phases. The implementation of the |
| The global food crisis has renewed calls for the | | | | recommended policy actions in the National Land |
| removal of distorting agricultural subsidies in developed | | | | Policy led to the development of the Land |
| countries. Support to farmers in OECD countries totals | | | | Administration Project (LAP). |
| 280 billion USD annually, which compares to official | | | | Land Administration Project (LAP) and other |
| development assistance of just 80 billion USD in 2004, | | | | developments since 1999 The NDC government |
| and farm support distorts food prices leading to higher | | | | envisaged a 15-year programme to sort out the mess |
| global food prices, according to OECD estimates. | | | | of land tenure in Ghana. When the NPP took control in |
| There is also the issue of a distorted global rice market | | | | 2001 they either did not realise the severity of the |
| - Japan is forced to import more than 767,000 tonnes | | | | problem or ignored the reform initially because it was |
| of rice annually from the United States, Thailand, and | | | | NDC initiated. Nevertheless, the following developments |
| other countries due to WTO rules. This is despite the | | | | en route to sorting out the mess have taken place, and |
| fact that Japan produces over 100 per cent of | | | | the initial timeframe has now moved to 15 - 25 years. |
| domestic rice consumption needs with 11 million tonnes | | | | Land Administration Project (LAP) |
| produced in 2005 while 8.7 million tonnes were | | | | The Land Administration Project (LAP-1) is the first |
| consumed in 2003-2004 period. Japan was not | | | | phase of a commitment by the Government of Ghana |
| allowed to re-export this rice to other countries without | | | | to use the Land Administration Programme to reduce |
| approval, but it seems as if this problem is now being | | | | poverty and enhance economic/social growth by |
| addressed. | | | | improving security of tenure, simplifying the process of |
| Can you believe that this rice is generally left to rot and | | | | acquiring land by the populace, developing the land |
| then used for animal feed? | | | | market and fostering prudent land management by |
| You may call it climate change, but significant crop | | | | establishing an efficient system of land administration, |
| shortfalls have emanated from natural disasters. | | | | both state and customary based on clear, coherent |
| Several distinct weather and climate-related incidents | | | | polices and laws supported by appropriate institutional |
| have caused major disruptions in crop production in the | | | | structures. |
| past few years. This has also led to soil and | | | | The project has multi-donor support with development |
| productivity losses as large areas of croplands are lost | | | | partners including the International Development |
| year after year, due mainly to soil erosion, water | | | | Association, Nordic Development Fund (NDF), |
| depletion and urbanisation. | | | | Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) |
| Issues of large scale land acquisition | | | | and the UK Department for International Development |
| Large-scale acquisition of land has become an issue | | | | (DFID). The rest are German Bank for Reconstruction |
| affecting the availability of land for the development of | | | | (KFW). |
| food crops for local consumption. According to an | | | | The successful implementation of LAP is anticipated to |
| estimate from the International Food Policy Research | | | | lead to the establishment of a sustainable system of |
| Institute IFPRI, between 15 and 20 million hectares of | | | | land administration that would ensure: |
| farmland in developing countries have been subject to | | | | - A clear, coherent and consistent set of land |
| transactions or negotiations involving foreign investors | | | | administration policies and laws; |
| since 2006. | | | | - An efficient and decentralized land administration |
| Developing countries in general, and Sub-Saharan | | | | system operating throughout Ghana in accordance |
| Africa specifically, are targeted because of the | | | | with Government policy and compatible with cultural |
| perception that there is plenty of land available, | | | | usage and responsive to the needs of the people, |
| because its climate is favourable to the production of | | | | within a self financial mechanism; |
| crops, because the local labour is inexpensive and | | | | - The attainment of high-level confidence of the |
| because the land is still relatively cheap. | | | | community, based on a culture of transparency, |
| In 2003, the FAO estimated that an additional 120 million | | | | responsiveness and services; |
| ha - an area twice the size of France or one-third that | | | | - A disciplined, efficient and transparent land market; |
| of India - will be needed to support the traditional | | | | - All land rights are unambiguously recognised, |
| growth in food production by 2030. Since about 95% | | | | adequately demarcated and securely registered; |
| of the cropland in Asia has already been utilized, it is in | | | | - An environment where land disputes are managed |
| Latin America and in Africa where most of the | | | | and minimized by open and rapid resolution processes; |
| demand for increased arable land will concentrate. | | | | - That land sector agencies and traditional authorities |
| The development of large-scale land leases or | | | | are fully integrated, appropriately structured and |
| acquisitions can be explained by | | | | resourced, accessible and self-financing; |
| - The rush towards the production of agro fuels as an | | | | - That access to land and settlement is orderly, |
| alternative to fossil fuels, a development encouraged | | | | economical and transparent, and based on a fully |
| by fiscal incentives and subsidies in developed | | | | coordinated process of land development; |
| countries; | | | | - That land related information is current, accurate, |
| - The growth of population and urbanization, combined | | | | universally available and shared. This is of great |
| with the exhaustion of natural resources, in certain | | | | significance to the country, and |
| countries, who therefore see large-scale land | | | | - That traditional authority has the capacity to manage |
| acquisitions as a means to achieve long-term food | | | | their lands in a very efficient manner and is |
| security; | | | | accountable to their communities as trustees of the |
| - Increased concerns of certain countries about the | | | | land. |
| availability of freshwater, which in a number of regions | | | | We live in a global world and the fortunes of our |
| is becoming a scarce commodity; | | | | continent are inextricably linked to developments in |
| - Increased demand for certain raw commodities from | | | | other parts of the world, but it is becoming increasingly |
| tropical countries, particularly fibre and other wood | | | | clear that our continent's vulnerability has been |
| products; | | | | worsened by the attractions of 'quick money' and |
| - Expected subsidies for carbon storage through | | | | sharp practices where the sale of lands for the |
| plantation. | | | | production of newly found industrial crops is killing our |
| It is clear the food crisis is not just an issue of land and | | | | ability to sustain food crop production. |
| property rights. Many issues have to be looked at, | | | | As in the Ghana example land security has been |
| especially the waste in developed countries, | | | | tackled to a significant degree even though there have |
| subsidisations, and trade restrictions. | | | | been distortions in the recent past with the wanton |
| The need for more land is obvious, and it seems the | | | | sale of lands for fancy and luxury residential |
| world is focusing on Africa and Latin America and | | | | accommodation, which have led to open disputes |
| every effort has to be made to stem the frightening | | | | between traditional authority and government. |
| trend where Africa's land is targeted by the rest of the | | | | It is important that African countries legislate urgently |
| world in its new found quest to acquire land for | | | | on the mode of acquisition of land and address |
| production of crops that do not end up feeding our | | | | concerns on what such land purchases are meant for. |
| hungry people but serve as raw material for new | | | | If we continue to maintain the antiquated status quo |
| technologies such a bio fuels. | | | | where purchases of large tracts of land are not |
| There is no doubt that land tenure and property rights | | | | queried, sooner than later the allure of easy money will |
| in Africa are complicated. In an address at the African | | | | see all our prime and arable lands sold either for |
| Presidential Roundtable in Berlin last year I mentioned | | | | property development, as is the craze in Ghana or for |
| that "during my time as President in Ghana we had a | | | | the production of crops to satisfy the developed |
| rude awakening". Despite all the debates we realised | | | | world's demand. |
| that land issues and land tenure circumstances in | | | | The allure of capital from such land sales is surely a |
| Ghana was in a terrible mess. We found that a plurality | | | | difficult one to ignore but like the developed world we |
| of land tenure and management systems (i.e. state | | | | need to employ some protectionist policies to save our |
| and customary) prevailed in the country, but that these | | | | continent from a new form of colonization. |
| systems were poorly articulated and increasingly | | | | Thank you. |
| caused problems of contradiction and conflict. | | | | |