The Government of Peru declares the agricultural sector in emergency

Lima, 20 Mar The Government of Peru declared the country's agricultural sector an emergency for 120 days with the aim of promoting actions to strengthen the so-called “second agrarian reform”, President Pedro Castillo reported this Sunday. “We have declared the agricultural sector an emergency so that, through @midagriperu, we can promote various actions to strengthen the Second Agrarian Reform,” Castillo announced in a message posted on Twitter. The ruler, who on March 15 told Congress that this measure would be taken, emphasized that the land “gives all food and the farmer brothers deserve to be supported comprehensively and quickly.” The Peruvian Executive officially declared the sector's emergency declaration for 120 days, within the framework of which the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri) must implement an agrarian emergency plan. The ministry will have a period of ten days to approve this emergency plan, with the aim of creating the necessary conditions for the continuation of agricultural productive activities that contribute to the supply of the domestic market and counteract the threat to the country's food security. The decree detailed that the measure was taken to address the effects generated by the covid-19 pandemic and the increase in prices of agricultural inputs, aggravated by international conflicts that negatively impact the agricultural sector, the economy and national food security. During last year's presidential campaign, Castillo announced that a “second agrarian reform” in his country would be one of the priorities of his government, which immediately raised fears as it could involve the expropriation of land and affect the development of Peruvian agricultural exports. After taking office on July 28, Castillo ruled out that his proposal could involve confiscations and actions against private property and said it would include support measures to strengthen the work of farmers. Although the Executive insisted on the “technical” nature of this policy, this did not prevent a large section of the country's ruling class from linking it to the agrarian reform that took place during the military government of Juan Velasco Alvarado (1968-1973), which confiscated large tracts of land from landowners and landowners to hand it over to peasants and communities. That measure so far divides Peruvians among those who highlight that it ended the abuses suffered by peasants and laborers, while others consider that it slowed down the development of agriculture and reject the expropriation of large property. “I want to make it very clear that this second agrarian reform does not seek to expropriate land or take away property rights from anyone,” Castillo clarified when launching last October the national policy for the development of agriculture through technology, technical advice and communication channels.