SAC Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win addresses 3rd meeting of National Land Utilization Council
NAY PYI TAW October 5
The 3rd meeting of the National Land Utilization Council was held at Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation here this afternoon addressed by Chairman of the council Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win.
Also present were SAC members and Union ministers Lt-Gen Soe Htut, Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, Dr Thida Oo, Admiral Tin Aung San, U Khin Maung Yi, U Thaung Han, U Myo Myit Oo and U Shwe Lay, Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman U Tin Oo Lwin, deputy ministers, directorsgeneral, managing directors and officials. Members of the council chief ministers took part in it through video conferencing.
The Vice-Senior General said the meeting will discuss progress in implementing the decisions of previous meeting and task of the council and future tasks. Myanmar with an area of 261,228 square miles is the second largest in Southeast Asia in terms of area. It is rich in natural resources and has a climate favourable for agriculture. Land resources are the most basic and essential natural resources for mankind.
Unlike other natural resources, it has limits. According to the estimation of UNFAO, land use per person in 2020 fell to about 0.18 hectare due to population increase and soil erosion. It is a 50 percent drop from that of 1960. In 2050, the current level will drop by half. Land resources are supporting food, clean water, and ecosystem including the biodiversity. Although they are the most basic natural resources for man, they can release greenhouse gases that cause global warming.
According to the report by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change-IPCC, it is seen that 23 percent of greenhouse glass emissions were released in agriculture, forestry and other land use between 2007 and 2016. As effects of climate change, Myanmar faced the historic Nargis Cyclone in 2008 and extreme climate events such as nation-wide floods, landslides, heath and cold waves have occurred more severely in the international community yearly causing damages to the socio-economic life. Because of such disasters, our nation stood at the third level between 1998 and 2017 among the nations vulnerable to global climate change. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically manage natural resources to mitigate and adapt climate change in the country.
The Agenda 2030 which is a development programme was adopted at UNGA held in September, 2015. The Agenda 2030 includes 17 global goals on sustainable development.
Most of the sustainable development goals are related to land management and No. 15 Goal is to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of the terrestrial ecosystem, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss. It will be seen that it is mainly related to land management.
Furthermore, in the article Strategy 5.5 of the Strategies and Action Plans of Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (2018-2030), it is mentioned that it is to improve land governance and sustainable management of resource-based industries ensuring our natural resources dividend benefits all our people.
Thus, it is especially necessary for the emergence of land management practices that are sustainable, systematic and good, in order to mitigate and adapt climate change in the country, meet the goals of Agenda 2030 and successfully implement the tasks of Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan.
Myanmar's national land utilization policy, which is required for sustainable governance of natural resources of the country, was already stated in January, 2016. Making the policies was carried out with the help of local and foreign experts, local organizations and international organizations.
The policies were made with the reference of the guidelines that should be followed in managing the permission for land, meat and fish and forests for the UN recognized and approved national food security in accordance with the international standards.
Although enactment of the national land utilization policy is meant for improvement in reform of the farmland sector, it is necessary to practically implement the ratified national land use policy for emergence of systematic and good land management practices.
The national land utilization council was formed with the 10 tasks under Order 55/2021 of the State Administration Council dated March 16, 2021, in order that laws relevant to implementation of the goals, guidelines and principles in national land utilization policy.
To be able to effectively implement its tasks, the national land utilization council formed the working committee for drawing the national land law and adopting laws on land management, the working committee for implementation of drawing Myanmar national mapping system, the working committee for laying out land utilization plan and collaboration, the advisory team for land utilization technology, the subcommittee for coordination and communication between the sub-committee and working groups and the team of national land utilization council comprising secretaries of the groups.
At the second meeting of the National Land Utilization Council held on March 9, 2022, decisions on drawing national land law, those on the working committee for implementing Myanmar national mapping system, and eight decisions to further add responsible persons of Union Territory (Nay Pyi Taw), Region and State Directorate of Investment and Company Administration to members of Union Territory (Nay Pyi Taw), Region and State land utilization committees were made. The Secretary of National Land Utilization Council, chairmen of sub-committees concerned and group leaders are to brief on implementation of those decisions. And, members of the council concerned are to brief and openly report on the tasks being taken for land utilization management and matters necessary to coordinate and cooperate.
Members of the National Land Utilization Council in respective sectors need to strive for successful implementation of its duty and functions. If so, their efforts will contribute to emergence of good land administration and management systems which will implement the aim, guidelines and principles of the national land utilization policies of Myanmar.
Secretary of the council Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Khin Maung Yi reported on accomplishment of the minute of the second meeting.
On behalf of Chairman (1)of the Work Committee for Drafting the National Land Law and Harmonizing the Management Laws Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Dr Aung Gyi, Chairman of Work Committee for Land Utilization Project Drawing and Coordination Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Maj-Gen Soe Tint Naing, Chairman of Work Committee for Myanmar National Mapping System Implementation Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Tun Ohn, Agricultural Development Strategic Implementation and Coordination Work Committee Deputy Minister Dr Aung Gyi, and Leader of Land Utilization Technological Advisory Team Director General of Forest Department U Htay Aung reported on progress of tasks in relevant sectors.
Members of the council Union ministers, the chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council, region and state chief ministers and officials reported on farmland utilization, farmland management measures under existing laws and procedures, implementation of the policy of the council, drafting the national land utilization law, participation in implementation of Myanmar’s national mapping system and emergence of land utilization law, ministry-wise management for land utilization, and land management in regions and states including Nay Pyi Taw Council.
The Vice-Senior General reviewed their reports and gave a concluding remark.