Bogotá launches agrarian reform and transfers 680,000 hectares of land to small farmers

The agrarian reform of the government of Colombian President Gustavo Petro will begin with the titling of 681,372 hectares of land that will benefit farmers, indigenous peoples, and African Americans, according to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Cecilia López.

This month’s Titles will be delivered to beneficiaries from September 21 to Nov. 15.

In this phase, land titles will be handed out for formalized plots in 19 departments, representing an area four times the size of the capital Bogotá.

In addition to legalizing the land, the ministry has made an institutional offer to promote income-generating projects and support productive activities for organized communities through the Rural Development Agency.

“The transition to legality, to formality, means having access to all the instruments that the government has provided for the sectors that work in the countryside and that have not had the opportunity to produce with government support,” stressed the department head.

“It is clear that the agricultural policy is a reality and therefore neither occupations nor invasions are justified,” he added.

López explained that the families who have benefited at this stage are already being contacted by the National Land Authority, which will be in the areas in the coming days to deliver the title deeds.