News on Land

This year, as the world celebrates World Earth Day on the 22nd April 2020, Fairtrade Africa is highlighting its stakeholder collaboration towards climate action.

Many governments, businesses and local communities have made commitments towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but COVID-19 may set some of these commitments back.

COVID-19 is raging everywhere, resulting in much of the world in self-isolation and the closing of borders worldwide. With comparisons to the 1918 H1N1 influenza pandemic, we are experiencing a literal one-in-100-year event.

Zimbabwe has announced a price freeze on goods and services and ordered businesses to instead revert to prices obtained on 25 March 2020, just before the country went into a nationwide lockdown. 

At a meeting attended by representatives of the manufacturing and retail sector, Vice President Kembo Mohadi, who is also chair of the Covid-19 taskforce, said the country has been experiencing escalating food prices that has made essentials unaffordable for many.

Skyrocketing prices

Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation Dr. Rania Al Mashat joined a high level virtual panel on the significance of international developmental cooperation to face the implications of the coronavirus pandemic on the agricultural sector and food security.

Cadasta Foundation is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day by signing onto Interaction Forum’s NGO Climate Compact: Commitments Toward Environmental Action and Sustainability. 

The NGO Climate Compact represents a pledge by over 75 non-governmental organizations’ CEOs to urgently address climate change and our recognition that the environment is central to achieving our missions to serve the world’s poorest and most vulnerable.  

The Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, located in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, is one of the world’s largest areas of reforested mangroves.

BY MICHAEL TATARSKI ON 21 APRIL 2020

Mongabay Series: Global Forests

The people of Ajaji community in Illah, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, are not happy with the state government. Right under their nose, the state government allegedly leased out a large chunk of their land to a private firm with interest in agriculture.

Trouble started several years ago when Delta was yet to be carved out of the defunct Mid-West  Region. At the time, there was a land dispute between three communities, including Ajaji in Illah, Ogbe-Onihe in Akwukwu-Igbo and Ugbolu.

Ajaji community of Illah, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta has raised fresh alarm over alleged forceful acquisition of their farmland by an agro company, Northsworthy Investments.

The community had last month, blamed the state government for ceding their land to the company without prior negotiation with them as stakeholders.

Rome, 20 April 2020 - With the COVID-19 pandemic and economic slowdown threatening the lives and livelihoods of the world’s most vulnerable people, the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) today committed US$40 million, and launched an urgent appeal for additional funds, to support farmers and rural communities to continue growing and selling food.

TAK: Three large tracts of woodland -- about 45 rai altogether -- were found to have been encroached on inside the Mae Sot National Forest Reserve in Phop Phra district, according to a local media report.

The encroachment was reported to the 6th Forest Protection Unit in Mae Sot district by local villagers.

On Saturday, forest protection officials were dispatched to an area near Moo 7, Ban Pakha Kao, in tambon Khirirat of Phop Phra district to investigate.

The Ministries of Environment, and Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction have listed the Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary in Koh Kong province and Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary in Mondulkiri province as state land to eliminate land grabbing offences.

The operations have gained support from community members who expect forest crimes to decline with the move.

A notice by the Ministry of Environment seen by The Post on Sunday said it is listing two natural protected areas – Peam Krasop Wildlife and Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuaries as state land.