So today my Governor, Baba Yao apparently banned uprooting coffee trees to make way for real estate projects, i am here wondering how is that legal? Kenya is a free market economy which means i have every right to buy and sell what i like as long as the commodity is legal, how then can a governor make such a law.
The other day @pamba mentioned Bungoma county was in the process of banning sale of maize before april and Gvn Mutua banned logging even on private property for private use, isnt this illegal?
There is this thing called agricultural land. For you to designate this land for any other use you must apply for a permit to change land use from planning department of a county government etc etc etc
Now that makes sense, the way the ban was communicated made it sound like something he came up with himself. In that case it is simply a matter of enforcing current laws although kitunguu itanukishwa apartments zijengwe.
I think thats where the governor is trying to enforce this rule, but the uprooting of coffee in itself I don’t think can be made illegal, lakini real estate huko kiambu iko na wenyewe I don’t think ataweza.
It’s called Dead capital… But on the other hand they should provide ares that deem tough for agriculture by creating enmities to encourage settlements.
By controlling private enterprise, people will still be able to go around it by letting the tree die out or change different crops then get the necessary changes. They are just playing the populist theme the common guy want to hear.
I agree, fertile land easily rivals real estate in terms of returns, flexibility and capital outlay but guys dont like the hassle that comes with farming when you can put up an apartment in 2, 3 years then contract agents to manage it, then there is the issue of subdivision which diminishes the benefits of economies of scale making farming quite expensive and unattractive. It will take more than banning to make agriculture an attractive option
This thread is attracting very sober minded talkers.
I have been at pains when we subdivide farm land to 1/8th of an acre then build some houses while at the same time we have adverts for greenhouse farming in Kitengela /Isinya.
But the law on uprooting coffee and tea has been there since moi era.
Moi once told coffee farmers, “cheque imeanguka kwa bahari” they started uprooting, the following day the law was passed and some farmers were sentenced to 5 years in prison.
Some of these things are not hard to enforce,we just lack willingness to do the same,People mandated with the task are easily compromised.Some controls are good.I borrowed something from SA which I would wish my country to practice one day.A well organised country in terms of infrastructure.Housing done only on the land meant for construction farming done elsewhere.That clearly demarcates land purpose properly.
I don’t know why people think there is shortage of arable land in Kenya. All we need is tarmacking of rural roads across the country and we can feed the region. I have seen fertile lands in places I didn’t expect, Garissa, Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Isiolo, Lamu, West Pokot and Samburu. With irrigation millions of acres can be turned to massive farms. Central, Mt.Kenya, RV and Western just need Tarmacking of rural homes and we will set. Places like Nyahururu, Elbourgon, Laikipia, Molo etc have so much foods during harvest than they can’t store, sell or eat it all. They lose 30% of it to wastage.
Assuming you’re not trolling us. What evidence will the prosecutor use to make a strong case against the dog owner? Ama you need a timer and a couple of witnesses?
Like Juja, kenyatta road, witeithie, kiganjo ya thika? these places could host a alot of people (and most probably will) but there still remains the premium apartments in the cool, lush neighbourhoods fetch which make the push to convert agricultural land to urban settlements stronger, looks like a battle the county cannot win
How small should land permitted for agricultural use be? I fear most of it has already been subdivided into plots that really cannot achieve their purpose