USAID|Colombia Public Policy Program Supports Rural Development Policy

A high-profile seminar with international experts and government officials was held to discuss the draft Rural Development Law. The seminar aimed to improve the draft law by providing recommendations on ten technical aspects. Rural development in Colombia is a pressing issue, with approximately 26% of the population, nearly 11 million people, living in rural areas and 63% of them living in poverty. Formalization, restitution, consolidation, and other land policy programs alone are insufficient to improve economic conditions. Long-term rural development strategies, particularly those increasing agricultural productivity, are necessary to fuel the national economy, achieve lasting security, and sustain land policy implementation. The proposed Rural Development Law aims to revitalize rural economies by prioritizing key regions. The law will ensure progress is made through the Rural Development Areas (RDAs) strategy, which encompasses various activities and services, including market studies, infrastructure needs assessments, land management, training for public officials, and social services provision. The law also proposes the creation of a National Land Council to set policy and resolve conflicts between agriculture, mining, environmental conservation, and other macro uses. The draft bill contains provisions in ten thematic areas, including authorization of macro land use, incentives to improve land use, comprehensive rural development policy, access to land, and institutional strengthening. The bill also proposes adjustments to traditional mechanisms for access to land and introduces a new procedure for the formalization of rural properties. The law will complement the Victims' Law and play an important role in recognizing the rights of communities involved in rural development. The Rural Development Law is scheduled to enter Congress in the second half of 2011 after being reviewed with indigenous and Afro-Colombian groups. The consultation process for the bill is still to be defined, with the Ministries of Agriculture and Interior and Justice stating that the four-month "fast method" used during the National Development Plan (NDP) process should be applied for consultations with ethnic communities. Private sector support has been sought for the bill, with farmers' associations expressing early support and willingness to promote more efficient use of land farming. A high-profile seminar on rural development was held on July 12 and 13, 2011, where international experts presented best practices and recommendations for applying lessons learned in Colombia. The draft law is scheduled for presentation to Congress on July 20, 2011.