BRIEFS: Agriculture

Farmers meet to discuss land law reforms

DAVID MESA/La Prensa

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Members of the Asociación Nacional de Ganaderos (Anagan) again urged the Asamblea Nacional to respect their land ownership rights as it debates new reforms to the Código Agrario.

Some 300 farmers from across the country met yesterday at the Universidad de Panamá to discuss various issues affecting the association, including land reform.

“We’re going to support the small-scale farmers who have settled in lands that no one wanted,” said Anaga president Luis Martínez, in defense of the right of possession, especially in the province of Colón.

Current Panamanian law grants the state the power to expropriate idle or uncultivated land. Martínez said other solutions to the issue would have to be investigated, but that ultimately the land owner should have the right to decide how to use the land.

“We don’t believe in outdated theories that neither resolve the problem of food security nor resolve conflicts,” he said.