Land that is leased, whether native or crown-owned, but not utilised, ought to be returned to the landowner.
Agriculture and Waterways Minister Tomasi Tunabuna said leasing land is a defeated purpose if it is left idle and unused.
“The purpose of the lease is to use that land; otherwise, if it is not, it has to be returned to those who own it,” Mr Tunabuna said.
“This is both for TLTB and crown land. It is the role of the lessee to ensure usage of the land the way it has to be used.”
Mr Tunabuna also noted the role of institutions that oversee the land tenure process, saying they have an obligation to ensure land is properly utilised.
“If they’re (tenants) not using the land, they have to find someone who does, because many people are looking for land. Those who do not utilise leased land are failing, and while they may have their own reasons, those reasons should be addressed with the landowner.”
Mr Tunabuna said oftentimes tenants would have reasons like the unavailability of water, actual access to the land, drainage, and irrigation.
“But, those should have been identified right from the start before the lessee applied for that land,” he said.
Mr Tunabuna said those institutions must understand that problems faced by lessees could be addressed by others who could afford to take care of the land.
“So, my advice for those who are not using the land is to return the land if they’re not using it. And for whatever reasons they are not using, try and address that with the landowners, which is the crown, in this case. I know a lot of
cases where land is not fully utilised, like absentee farmers.”