Colombian Government Has Invested 32.7% of Total Budget for 2023 on Land Purchases

Land reform has been a hallmark of President Gustavo Petro’s government, which aims to implement the first point of the Peace Agreements to formalize seven million hectares and buy an additional three million. Although in September last year the Ministry of Agriculture had proposed buying three million hectares for the four-year term, that goal was reduced to 1.3 million after former Minister Cecilia López deemed it an impossible goal.

As of July 21, 2023, the government has invested $212.998 billion in the acquisition of 172 properties, equivalent to 29,027 hectares (ha). That figure accounts for 32.7% of the regular budget of the National Land Agency (ANT) for this year, considering that they allocated $650 billion for land purchases.

“We have acquired 5,000 more hectares through judicial processes in Garzal and Simití, just like what was done in Rosario Islands, which totals 34,000 hectares, plus what was added by SAE and Land Restitution,” explained Gerardo Vega, director of the National Land Agency (ANT).

On average, according to Vega, the hectare is coming out between $13 and $14 million, although the government had $10 million in studies.

The land entity explained that in 23 months, the government of former President Juan Manuel Santos acquired 3,543 hectares, while in 48 months of the government of former President Iv Iván Duque, the purchase was 13,706 hectares, that is, 59.4% of what the current administration carries. How is the land supply going?

ANT received an offer of over 1.3 million hectares; of that total, 45% to 50% is viable. “20% of the total that has arrived needs to be studied. The initial technical and legal viability tells us that we can buy between 45% and 50%,” he explained.

The director also said that of this, a third part, which is 35%, is from Fedegan. In addition, as of July 29, the total number of properties offered is 8,719, of which 1,330 come from the guild. Of the total land purchased by the government, 12,375 hectares (ha) have been delivered, of which 10,773 ha were granted in collective titles. For black communities, it corresponded to 562 ha, 8,727 ha to indigenous communities, and 1,368 hectares to reincorporates.

Also, 1,602 hectares have been awarded in individual titles and the remaining hectares are in the process of assignment and adjudication.

Monthly, ANT is titling 90,000 hectares. “In 10 months, we have titled 1.14 million hectares without counting 400,000 hectares that correspond to peasant reserve zones,” he concluded.