County Working on Formulating Polices on Land Fragmentation to Save Agricultural Land
Uasin Gishu County Department of Lands and Physical Planning together with the Honourable House Committee Members for Lands are in discussions to formulate policies to provide adequate formula to address land fragmentation that has become an obstacle to agricultural productivity and modernization.
While in consultation with Food Agriculture Organisation(FAO) rep Ms. Lindah Opiyo, National Land Commission(NLC) rep, Planners, Surveyors, Valuer, and officers from the department, Chief Officer Lands and Physical Planning Mr. Nathan Korir, noted that there is a need to fast track a functional County Spatial plan, a tool that will address all development plans including location for all amenities in the county, in the next 10 years, while also ensuring that agricultural land is protected through strict follow up on zoning regulations.
“Land fragmentation has led to a situation where a farming household possesses several non-contiguous land plots. This fragmentation has been observed to be fast approaching our rural lands yet we are known as the bread basket of the country. The absence of a real standard objective measure of land fragmentation makes comparisons between farms difficult, and hence this has made it hard to decide when a farm is too fragmented calling for the need for policy formulation to curb further fragmentation,” noted Korir.
Chief Officer Agriculture Mr. Elphas Kessio, said that the discussions were timely and the county leadership would fast track the process because some of the issues that have led to an increase in land fragmentation are, inheritance, sale of land for social needs such as education, informal transactions of land and politics.
Hon. Moses Kebenei, Chair Committee for Lands and Physical Planning appreciated the initiative by the Department promising to involve the County Assembly members in sensitization about the benefits of controlling land fragmentation and also ensuring that the County Spatial Plan is approved.
NLC representative Mr. Andrew Rotich said that bringing together all stakeholders including the administration and village elders in the sensitization and education of the public on the need to preserve agricultural land is key.
Director Lands Ms. Nelly Jerotich together with her counterparts, Director Physical Planning Planner Daniel Koech and Director Agriculture Mr. Ismael Asowa gave their expertise in support of the need for immediate action in coming up with a County Spatial plan. They also asked the Food Agriculture Organisation ( FAO) representative to consider supporting Uasin Gishu County in the Spatial plan, Valuation Roll and the policy framework for land fragmentation.
Legal Advisor, Adv. Ronald Kiprop and Adv. Loice Kebenei guided on the steps in the policy-making process.
Also in attendance were Members of the County assembly led by Deputy speaker Hon. Sarah Malel, Hon. Juliet Chelimo, Hon. Isaac Chirchir, Hon. David Letting, Hon. Amos Kiptanui, Hon. Naomy Serem, Director Housing Ms. Beatrice Menjo and Director Urban Development Planner Jacktone Kiprop.
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