The NGO Forum on Cambodia, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries, organized a national consultation workshop on 19-20 December 2016 on the sixth version of the draft Cambodian Agricultural Land Law. In addition to inputs from various stakeholders at the workshop, a legal review was conducted with the assistance of Mr. George Cooper, an independent senior legal expert experienced in land policies
The NGO Forum selected the most important recommendations for inclusion in this document and for presentation to MAFF :
1) Change the draft basic approach from one of imposing rules and penalties to one of providing assistance, advice and incentives. 2) Provide land for family farmers from cancelled economic land concessions (ELCs). 3) Strengthen provisions that protect poor occupants of lands inside ELC 4) Simplify regulations involving indigenous peoples’ communities. 5) Ban the reclassification of state public land for private development use
It is also suggested alternative process for adopting the law; delaying its adoption until a new agricultural policy is adopted.