SINKAMBA DEMANDS REVIEW OF ‘OUTDATED’ ENVIRO LAWS
THEGreen Party has described the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations as a threat to food security in Zambia in its current form.
As a result, the party has demanded that Lands and Environmental Protection Minister, Jean Kapata, should review the regulations to line them with realities on the ground.
Green Party president, Peter Sinkamba, said the EIA regulations provided that any development, including agriculture, which extends above one hectare must be subjected to the rigorous approval process by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA).
He was speaking in an interview in Kitwe yesterday.
Mr Sinkamba said that without the approval of ZEMA, a developer commits an offence, which attracts serious penalties.
He complained that such a requirement was a hindrance to development as it was difficult to meet. “Now, at the moment, we have over five million peasant and small-scale farmers across the country that collectively produce over 70 percent of the maize in Zambia.
“These have farm plots that extend from one hectare to about ten hectares. Since time immemorial, they have been carrying out their agricultural activities without EIA approval," he said.
Mr Sinkamba explained that since the EIA regulations were enacted in 1997, peasant and small- scale farmers had been carrying out their farming illegally.
He said that according to EIA regulations, SI 27 of 1997, the farmers must stop their agricultural activities or risk being penalised by ZEMA.
He said that if they stopped their agricultural activities, more than 70 per cent of the maize will not be produced in Zambia.
He added that according to the regulations, in addition to hiring environmental experts to prepare the EIA reports, the peasants and small-scale farmers were required to pay ZEMA about K14, 000 fees for review of the reports. “These farmers we are talking about cannot even afford to pay for fertilizer and seed. Government buys for them through FISP.
“So, where do you expect them to find money to hire environmental experts to prepare EIA reports? And where are they going to find the K14, 000.00 to pay ZEMA for review of the EIA reports?" he wondered.
Mr Sinkamba said it was pointless to keep on the laws that could not be implemented and suggested a complete overhaul of the regulations.