Lack of Land Ownership Hinders Investment, Growth

By Jim.Robinson|May 22, 2013

For cotton growers who don’t have the capital to buy their own land to farm, renting land is the only other option. In the short term, it serves the needs of both owner and renter. In the longer term, however, the effectiveness of the farm itself often suffers due to lack of investment in newer technologies, as well as a short-term view of the property’s value.

“In many countries – including Colombia – more than half of the land used to grow cotton is rented, with implications for investments in irrigation, soil conservation practices, and other infrastructure,” says Terry Townsend, executive director of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC).

As it usually does when it identifies a problem, the ICAC is mustering resources to address the issue and find solutions. A critical step in that process will be in evidence during ICAC’s 72nd Plenary Meeting to be held in Cartagena, Colombia, from Sept. 29-Oct. 1.

“The Second OpenSession on Land Tenure and Implications for Agricultural Productivity (scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 9:00 a.m.) will include specialists with knowledge of land tenure and investments,” Townsend says. “The purpose of the session is to explore how governments can facilitate investments in land productivity when land operators are not landowners.”

For more information about ICAC’s 72nd Plenary Meeting, or to register for the event, please visit the ICAC Web page.