The Agricultural Employers Association (AEA) has warned that the Land Control Bill of 2022 could have a negative impact on farming in the country and result in massive job losses.
The association warned that the private bill, which seeks to prohibit foreigners from owning land, could backfire, leading to investor flight and farm closures.
Hundreds of foreigners own large tracts of land in the country and are involved in flower, wheat, vegetable, and fruit farming.
Wilson Odoyo, chairman of the association, stated that if passed into law, the Land Control Bill would have a negative impact on farming in the country.
Odoyo urged the government to reject the bill, claiming that it would have a significant impact on agricultural land transactions in Kenya.
He claimed that it would restrict non-Kenyans from owning agricultural land, effectively excluding the majority of their members.
“Most of our farms are owned by foreign investors and we are risking business closures and urge the government to relook at this bill as it may cause more harm than good to the sector,” he said.
