Kerala to soon legalize renting out farmland
Kerala is about to roll out a Bill that gives legal status to lease farming—basically letting people officially rent farmland for cultivation.
The goal? To bring over 1 lakh hectares of fallow land back into use and give a boost to agri-startups, especially those looking at modern, tech-driven farming.
The Bill takes cues from Andhra Pradesh's 2019 law on crop cultivators' rights.
Why it matters
This change could really help tenant farmers (who already grow over a third of Kerala's veggies) get easier access to loans and crop insurance.
Landowners—like elderly folks or those working abroad—can now safely lease out their unused plots.
It's also part of a bigger national push since the NITI Aayog Model Land Leasing Act discussions in 2016, all aiming for smarter, fairer use of farmland across India.