Ethiopia’s north-western region Benishangul Gumuz made made important announcements in its meeting with Land lessee investors on May 8, according to the news from Ethiopian-reporter.

The regional government ordered investors  to stop clearing and burning down forests on the land they acquired for agricultural development.

The news indicated the list includes investors, including S and P Energy Solutions, an Indian establishment; Ardent Energy, Zeleke Farm Mechanization and Ambassel Trading House. These firms  were engaged in extensive razing and burning of the land for farming, entailing the migration of wildlife to nearby Dinder Park in the Sudan, according to the news.

The news claimed ‘previous procedure of guess-work in measuring and demarcating land when giving out land for agri-businesses has been eliminated.’

Vice President of the region said that the region has commenced re-measuring land already given for investment, and businesses that took more than what they paid for are returning the extra land, according to Sebsebe Nisatsie, vice president of the region.

Moreover, the grace period for the payment of all outstanding lease rates was reduced from fiver years to two years, much to the dismay of the investors, who were asked to pay the fares. The price of a hectare of land costs 70 birr.

You may read the original land lease agreements and my ongoing review of the documents HERE and HERE.

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