This document contains opening remarks for a regional workshop on large-scale land acquisitions in the Mekong region. It summarizes that agriculture is important for economies and livelihoods in the region. While large-scale investments have contributed to economic growth, they have also increased land issues due to unclear land rights. The workshop will discuss developing responsible agricultural investment models and improving policies and regulations to better balance private sector and smallholder interests. It will provide an opportunity to share experiences on different investment approaches and ways to improve accountability and benefit distribution between actors.

1. Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC
Embassy of Switzerland
Swiss Cooperation Office for the Mekong Region, Vientiane
SPEAKING POINTS BY MR. TIM ENDERLIN
REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON LSLA, OPENING REMARKS
Vientiane, 15th
to 17th
November 2017
▪ Dear Mr Phongsamouth Khamvanvongsa, Deputy Chief of Cabinet,
Ministry of Planning and Investment
▪ Representatives of the Government of Lao PDR; Cambodia, China,
Myanmar and Viet Nam
▪ Representatives from Embassies of Germany and Luxembourg, private
sector, international organisations, INGOs, civil society, and academia
▪ Ladies and Gentlemen,
As representative of Switzerland and SDC it is my pleasure to welcome
you all to the regional workshop on Responsible Large Scale Land
Acquisition in the Mekong Region. This workshop is not only important but
also very timely, as the ASEAN Regional Economic Integration is creating
more opportunities for international exchanges, in particular on Foreign
Direct Investment in agriculture.
Agriculture remains a very important sector in the Mekong Region.
On one side through its economic contribution to the GDP, but most
and foremost because the majority of the population in Mekong
countries work as family farmers in agriculture.
Family farming agriculture has been the most efficient way to alleviate
poverty and promote sustainable and equitable economic development
benefitting the whole population. Securing family farmers’ land tenure
and rights as well as attracting domestic and foreign private
investments are a prerequisite for further growth in agriculture.
The governments of Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar have encouraged
investments in the agricultural sector for large scale agribusinesses
(especially in rubber, coffee, sugarcane, and cassava) by granting medium
and large scale economic land concessions.

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This has significantly contributed to economic growth, but also led
to an increase in number of land related problems, because most
family farmers’ lands were not registered, farmers didn’t have titles or
appropriate recognition of their land rights. Many were and remain at risk
of losing their lands and livelihood to investors.
Switzerland believes that securing land tenure and rights is a
backbone to social harmony and poverty eradication of the poor in
the rural areas, where increased domestic and foreign investments
in agricultural lands have negatively impacted their land tenure and
rights and also their livelihoods. Therefore, Switzerland is globally a
strong promoter of the development and implementation of the FAO
Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land,
Forest and Fisheries (VGGT).
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Mekong Region Land Governance (MRLG) project is a Swiss
endeavour, co-funded by Germany and Luxembourg. Its main objective is
to support “Family farmers in CLMV countries to have secure and
equitable access to and control over agricultural land, forest, and
fisheries”.
In the Mekong region, one of the key challenges is that most lands are
held under customary tenure arrangements, especially in uplands
and mountainous areas. Moreover, most of these lands are not yet
registered or recognized by the States, despite significant progress in
terms of land titling, collective or communal land registration in all
countries. So Recognition of Customary Tenure is a key priority for MRLG.
The project has been also working on the regulation of investments
(including FDI) in agriculture and Large Scale Land Acquisition as a priority
theme for its regional and national level activities.

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In 2015, during consultations at MRLG’s first regional workshop in
Bangkok, it was agreed by participants to develop a regional research
based policy dialogue alliance. This alliance was formed by a collation of
national research institutes, the National Economic Research Institute
(NEIR) in Laos, the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and
Rural Development (IPSARD) in Vietnam, and the Royal University of
Phnom Penh in Cambodia, together with a senior expert from the Ministry
of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI) in Myanmar.
MRLG’s regional efforts regarding this policy dialogue alliance have
achieved important results. Let me share some with you:
1. In Lao PDR, a dynamic partnership was developed with the
Investment Promotion Department of the Ministry of Planning and
Investment, who today co-hosts this workshop; furthermore, with
various CSOs including Land Information Working Group,
Village Focus International, Oxfam and others; and with the
private sector, in particular with Stora Enso and other private
companies.
2. In Myanmar; a dialogue has been established with the National
Assembly and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and
Irrigation, as well as with CSOs (Land Core Group, OXFAM, etc.)
after research conducted provided an up to date analysis on the
status of large scale lands granted under the Land Law.
3. In Cambodia; MRLG has developed activities aiming at
organizing the reallocation of land from cancelled concessions
to smallholder farmers and indigenous communities, in
partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries.

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Today’s workshop will discuss the various perspectives for developing
Responsible Agricultural Investment in the region and the disorders
resulting from concession models. This applies not only for large-scale
land-based investments, but also for other forms of agreements between
the private sector and farmer communities. Examples include contract
farming, land leases, or agreements between cooperatives and private
sector.
The forum will provide an opportunity to share various experiences
and to discuss lessons learned and the way forward. We will hear the
pros and cons of different investment models, and the need for increased
accountability between actors and the distribution of the value amongst
them. Specifically, there is a need to improve policy and regulations
to “level the playing field”, and for these measures to be enforceable.
I would like to express my special thanks to MPI, MRLG, Oxfam and
IPSARD, and welcome again representatives of governments, private
sector, academia, CSOs, farmers’ organisations and particularly the
participants from neighbouring countries. I wish you productive and
constructive discussions.
Thank you