After ethnic cleansing of Tigrayans from Western Tigray, Amhara State proceeds to lease and distribute their farmlands to Amhara investors

The Amhara state which has annexed Western Tigray and has cleansed it of Tigrayans proceeds at breakneck speed to distribute the land to what it calls investors, which are of course Amharas. Below is a quick translation of the Amharic notice. A key thing is this notice is that “the winners of the bid, without having to submit project proposal, land impact document evaluation, investment permit, should only present a renewed ID and take the deal within 7 consecutive days”.

English translation

Amhara National Regional State (ANRS)

Bureau of Rural Land Administration & Use (BORLAU)

Number …

Date: 02/9/2013 Eth. Cal. (10/05/2021 Int. Cal.)

To:  all zones of rural land administration & use divisions

Wherever they are

It concerns: Notice for rural land lease to investors who would like to participate in rural land farming investment and development

Amhara national regional state Bureau of Rural Land Administration & Use, In order to transfer Free investment lands in Welqait Tegede, Setit Humera zone and woredas temporarily for one harvest year, in accordance with the directive it has issued on 20/04/21, based on proclamation number 252/2009 E.C; regulation number 159/2010 E.C. and number ALA/1236/21, has sent agricultural investment land grant notice along with this cover letter. The notice should be posted on a visible place. We request central Gondar and west Gondar zones to delegate personnel and register applicants in accordance with the notice and send it to the bureau. 

Cc

For the bureau head

For vice bureau head

Notice for rural land lease to investors who would like to participate in rural land farming investment and development

Amhara national regional state Bureau of Rural Land Administration & Use would like to lease investment lands for a short term /for one harvest span only/ through auctioning. Therefore based on the following set of conditions for the competition, any individual, enterprise or company who can develop (the farms) can register by presenting all the necessary documents to ANRS rural land administration and use bureau, central Gondar rural land administration and use division, west Gondar zone rural land administration and use division and Humera rural land administration and use bureau temporary office from 10/05/21 onwards for the next 7 consecutive days. 

The applicants (bidders) will be selected by ANRS rural land administration and use bureau.

Criteria:

1. Developing investors, who had taken land (on lease) and were engaged in developing it but who had been displaced because of their identity or because of the political problem in the area, should present a bank statement, showing financial capability stretching back 3 months from the date of this notice.
2. They should mention in their application letter that they possess farming machinery (considering the ratio of one tractor for 100 hectares) or that they can rent the farming machineries and work on the land. Those competitors who have farming machineries should present a legal document showing that they are their legal owners.
3. If they didn’t have investment land before, they should present bank statement for financial transaction, going back to 3 months prior the date of the auction, which shows they have the capacity to develop the lands, i.e. they possess farming tractor and other machineries and are capable of working on the land
4. For those investors who have leased investment land and are working on it, provided that they have farming machineries, those bidders (competitors) who have relatively smaller land will be given priority.
5. If one bidder has the capacity, he/she can compete over only 2 lands.
6. If the competitors become equal in all the criteria, the winner will be determined by drawing lots.
7. For lands which receive no bids, farmers who have the capacity or youth who have formed a group (enterprise) can develop the lands for the period of time mentioned
8. For land which is transferred on lease, the service fee is 50 birr per hectare and it is expected to be paid (in full).
9. Bidders should include the land number, the width of the land, and the usage in their application letters. 

Note:

1. Regarding criteria for competition, one should refer the document on leased lands for investment number ALA/1236/21 on 20/4/21 regarding the rural land lease and use directive for one harvest year
2. All documents to be provided for the bidding should be presented in a sealed envelope
3. The bank statement which is presented for the bidding include 3 consecutive months prior the date of notice
4. The winners of the bid, without having to submit project proposal, land impact document evaluation, investment permit, should only present a renewed ID and take the deal within 7 consecutive days.
5. The span for the temporary leased land is for one harvest year and the one who takes the land will develop it based on the agreement.
6. If lands, which have been held as ransom by loan providing institutions have not been transferred to a third party according to their agreements, they could be leased based only for one harvest year, based on this directive so that the lands may not go to waste
7. If the land that’s been transferred on lease based on this directive was sought by the government for better development projects, the agreement could be terminated before the term of agreement has been reached. If it happens as such, the lessee is obliged give back the land without requesting any refund
8. Any document which is presented after the date of registration has passed or after the bidders have already registered (even if the date of registration has not yet passed) will not be accepted
9. Applications which have not included number, width of land and land use will become invalid
10. Applicants should only submit their application during government working hours
11. Applicants should submit all the necessary documents, if possible with the seal of the organization and the signature of the investor, to ANRS rural land administration & use bureau, central Gondar (zone) rural land administration & use division, west Gondar zone rural land administration & use division and Humera rural land administration & use bureau temporary office during working hours
12. The outcome of the bid, the winners and their results will be announced through the internal notice of the institution 10 days after the date of the registration has ended.