According to the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) and indigenous organizations, the passage of a new agricultural law in Bolivia could lead to more land conflicts and significantly weaken indigenous rights. “Ley 157,” which facilitates the conversion of smallholder farms into medium-sized and larger agricultural enterprises, primarily strengthens agribusiness interests.

“This law exemplifies a policy that prioritizes economic interests over the constitutionally protected rights of Indigenous Peoples. During the legislative process, key consultation rights of indigenous communities were not sufficiently taken into account,” explains Jan Königshausen, Advisor on Indigenous Peoples at the STP. “The collective land rights of indigenous communities are weakened by the law, while agro-industrial actors are simultaneously strengthened.”

Officially, the reform is intended to improve access to credit and promote investment. However, a coalition of 50 Bolivian Indigenous and civil society organizations warns that this will usher in a fundamental shift: away from the social function of land toward its increasing commercialization. “We see a dangerous development here: land is increasingly becoming the basis for speculative use—thereby pushing its significance for the survival and cultural identity of indigenous communities into the background. This has far-reaching consequences for collective forms of ownership and indigenous territories,” emphasizes Königshausen. “For indigenous communities, the risk of debt, land loss, and displacement is growing. Along with the future of their territories, the stability of smallholder food systems is also at stake.”

“The law could also retroactively legitimize existing forms of land concentration and facilitate the emergence of new large-scale ownership structures,” emphasizes Königshausen. Civil society organizations warn that existing problems of land concentration are not being solved but rather further exacerbated. “Furthermore, a central control mechanism of Bolivian agricultural law is being weakened: the so-called economic-social function (FES) of land, which is intended to ensure that land is used in the public interest and not for speculation.”

According to Königshausen, the international economic policy framework must be viewed with particular criticism in this context. Although Bolivia is not yet a party to the EU-Mercosur Agreement, it is considered a potential future partner. “When trade agreements like the EU-Mercosur Agreement are pushed forward, it reinforces a model geared toward expansion, monocultures, and exports. This poses significant risks to the climate, biodiversity, and the rights of local communities,” emphasizes Königshausen. Together with numerous other civil society organizations, the STP warns that the rising demand for agricultural commodities in the wake of such trade agreements could further increase pressure on land and resources and further reinforce a reckless, export-oriented agricultural model—a model in which the rights of Indigenous Peoples are increasingly being trampled underfoot.

This press release was translated from German to English using AI. If you come across errors or ambiguities, please contact us at presse@gfbv.de.