DR Congo : a new law on agriculture, article 16 on land acquisition

Many agricultural associations, such as FOPAC / NK, the SYDIP and FAT, participated to the preparation of this new law enacted on December 24, 2011. It covers general principles relating to the agricultural sector in the DRC. It ensures coherence between various departments with overlapping jurisdictions on land management: agriculture, forestry, and environment. It will take effect by June 24, 2012.

Articles from 16 to 27 govern the conditions of purchasing and selling land.
Customary land rights exercised collectively or individually are recognized in Article 18. This includes the "reserves of cropland, fallow, pasture and pastoral land and woodland regularly used by the local community."
Article 19 states that "the exercise of collective or individual rights is not subject of a registration certificate. »

To read the law "Loi portant sur les principes fondamentaux relatifs à l'agriculture"  (French) see: http://lavoixdupaysancongolais.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/rdc-loi-agriculture-principes-fondamentaux-24-12-2011.pdf