「農業界反對土地大辯論動用農地選項」聯合聲明
“The Agricultural Sector’s Opposition to Including Agricultural Land as a Land Supply Option”
Joint Statement and Petition
《新農業政策》未兌現，新債免問
Hands off until the New Agricultural Policy is implemented!
>>本會已經以「關注農業發展團體」參與聯署
>>The Society has co-sign the joint statement as an agriculture concerned group
【網上聯署連結︰
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【前言】
土地供應諮詢尚在進行，但政府及部份社會人士的目光已集中在填海和發展商囤積最少1,000公頃的農地儲備。事實上，政府根本沒有考慮農夫、囤積農地的位置、耕種條件、生態價值、土地面積大小、農地周邊環境的情況，只參考發展商的年報而得出資料。政府亦沒有評估資料對現有農業的影響，便急就章把有關選項與公私營合作模式扯上關係，不但引起公眾對官商勾結的揣測，甚至意味本地農業會被再次犧牲，嚴重影響本地約2,400個農場的生計和發展。近年有機運動發展蓬勃，支持本地生產的消費者數目日增，這全賴業界多年來的努力耕耘。是次土地供應大辯論卻把業界心血摧毀，預料農地變棕地的趨勢加劇，囤積行為肆無忌憚，令剩下來的農地處境變得岌岌可危，農民找地越益艱難，變相「陰乾」本地農業。
【Introduction】
The Government’s consultation on land supply options is still in progress. However, the Government and certain members of society are already focusing on the options of reclamation, and of using agricultural land held by developers. From developers’ annual reports, the Government believes that they now hold over 1,000 hectares of agricultural land - but reached this conclusion without considering crucial factors such as farmers, the plots’ location, suitability for growing, ecological value, size, and surrounding environment. In addition, the Government has not assessed the potential impact to the agricultural sector. The fact that the Government has hastily proposed public-private partnership in these circumstances not only raises suspicion of Government-business collusion, but also implies that local agriculture will again be sacrificed, severely impacting the livelihoods and development of Hong Kong’s 2,400 farms. Thanks to the hard work of the agricultural sector, in recent years the organic movement has gained steam and consumers who support local production have increased. However, this consultation may well lay all this to waste by triggering further devolution of farmland into brownfields, and aggravated hoarding of agricultural land. This makes the state of remaining farmland even more precarious, make it more difficult for farmers to find arable land, and as a result freeze out local agriculture.
【新農業政策和農業優先區至今未兌現】
兩位特首在過去3份《施政報告》都有提及落實「新農業政策」，包括設立農業園和農業優先區，加強保護農地作為農業發展的根本。然而《農業優先區研究》剛於今年6月才進行顧問公司招標，政府預料顧問報告需要花上幾年時間完成，遠遠晚於土地大辯論的諮詢結果，反映政府欲放棄新農業政策的目標，採用「分餅仔」的方法，先動用未有政策保護的農地以逹成覓地工作，餘下的才劃作農業優先區。政府現時既不作打擊或制止破壞農地或農地棕土化，反而建議公私營合作模式，以公帑協助發展商解決基建設施，讓農地更輕易完成改劃程序，變相為發展商掃除發展限制，嚴重向發展商傾斜。如政府採納，意味農地囤積、破壞、農夫遭逼遷的趨勢將迅速加劇，新農業政策推動可持續農業發展的願景將蕩然無存。
【Failure to date to implement the New Agricultural Policy and Agricultural Priority Areas】
Our two most recent Chief Executives both mentioned the New Agricultural Policy in their past three Policy Addresses, including proposals to establish an Agri-Park and to designate Agricultural Priority Areas. These measures rightly acknowledge that development of agriculture must be premised upon protection of farmland. Even so, the invitation for tenders to conduct the consultancy study for Agricultural Priority Areas only took place this June. Further, the Government estimates that the consultancy study will take years to complete. This will be far later than the result of the land supply consultation. This raises suspicions about the Government’s will to carry out the New Agricultural Policy - in effect, the Government may mobilize as yet unprotected agricultural land to fulfil its search for land supply, and then only designate the remaining for agricultural priority. The Government has opted not to control damage to agricultural land or its conversion to brownfields - on the contrary, it has proposed public-private partnership and the use of tax dollars to assist developers in building basic infrastructure. This makes it easier to remove development restrictions on agricultural land, and reflects a severe slant in the favour of developers. If the Government adopts this land supply option, this will accelerate damage to agricultural land and development of sustainable agriculture as envisioned in the New Agricultural Policy will be little more than fantasy.
【農業界聯合聲明】
農業界反對政府在未有政策和措施遏止破壞農地之前動用農地，威脅農業，就此作出聯合聲明：
1. 農地及農業具其他產業不能替代的價值，促請農業優先區研究報告先於土地大辯論報告：
政府在2016年施政報告中同意「農業的價值並不限於對經濟的貢獻。發展本地農業可以增加市民對食物產地的選擇，亦有助善用土地資源，改善鄉郊環境、衞生及保護生態。」農地及農業所衍生的生態系統服務（Ecosystem services）價值，非其他產業所能取代，亦超越土地大辯論所強調的發展思考框架。保留農地，讓農業可持續地發展，是地球公民應有的責任，農業優先區的研究報告應先於土地大辯論的報告。
2. 設立農地保育政策，以免土地遭惡意破壞：
(i) 改革《城市規劃條例》，規管「農地只限於農用」，允許規劃署為鄉郊地區覆蓋「發展審批地區圖」，包括現已覆蓋了「分區計劃大綱圖」的土地，賦予規劃署在鄉郊地區執法的權力；
(ii) 修訂《廢物處置條例》，在私人地或官地上進行任何拆建廢料處置活動前，必須獲得法定許可，當中需考慮對環境的保護及保育價值；
(iii) 設立跨部門的自然保育執法專責小組（包括漁護署、環保署、地政署、規劃署和食環署），並增加各相關部門執法團隊的資源和人手，互相合作和監察所有違例發展的案件，確保受破壞的地點得到妥善恢復；
3. 促進農地復耕：
截至2017年年底，農地復耕計劃的申請人數約300人，平均輪侯時間逹5年之久，這是因為全港尚餘約4,400公頃的農地，除了當中約700公頃屬常耕農地，大部分的農地都被地產商囤積荒廢，靜待發展機會。建議設立「荒地稅」、以及為生態友善的農業模式提供財政誘因、復耕補助、徵收農地再給農民使用等，以改善農地囤積荒廢問題。
4. 重新規劃棕地：
現時「棕地」涵蓋多種不同的土地用途，包括農地、露天貨倉、綠化帶等，相信不少農地與棕地數目重疊。例如，政府有需要立即進行棕地凍結登記，為棕地封頂，防止由農轉棕，形成不能受控的棕地擴張局面，並加重農地棕土化的罰則，恢復原狀，並以“可耕性”作為政府執法，要求恢復原狀的指標。此外，要求修復農地、重新規劃棕土，發展前必須明確列出選址及提供詳細資料。
5. 盡快採納其他土地發展替代方案取代農地建屋：
香港的房屋問題是不患寡而患不均，並有其他土地發展替代方案取代農地建屋；公私營房屋供應比例遠低於六比四的長策會政策目標，房屋類型的供應無法對應基層市民的需求。而根據房委會《長遠房屋策略》及《香港2030＋︰跨越2030年的規劃遠景與策略》的推算，直至2026年政府只需108公頃的土地便可滿足房屋用地屋需求。政府應該加快動用以下的土地選項，推出適當的房屋政策以滿足逼切的住屋需求。
● 粉嶺哥爾夫球場172公頃用地，即使按規劃署提出的「局部發展」方案也可以釋出32公頃的土地；
● 小蠔灣車廠上蓋約30公頃佔地（推算可興建至少14,000個公營房屋單位）；
● 利用市區重建土地，興建公共房屋；
● 善用空置官地、校舍，興建過渡性房屋；
● 減少賣地建私樓，增加興建公營房屋
【Joint Statement of the Agricultural Sector】
The agricultural sector opposes the Government’s proposal to use agricultural land without first having policies and measures in place to prevent further damage to farmland. We make the following joint statement:-
1. Farmland and agriculture carry value that is irreplaceable by other industries. We ask that the Agricultural Priority Area consultancy study be issued before the land supply consultation report.
As stated in the Government’s Policy Address 2016: “The value of agriculture goes beyond its economic contribution. Developing local agriculture not only increases choices in terms of origin of food, it also helps optimise land use, improve the environment and hygiene in rural areas, and conserve the natural ecology.” Ecosystem services generated by farmland and agriculture cannot be replaced by other sectors, and far exceeds the development framework contemplated in the land supply consultation. To protect farmland and allow the sustainable development of agriculture is the duty of all citizens on this earth. The Agricultural Priority Area consultancy study ought to be issued before the land supply consultation report.
2. Establish a policy to conserve farmland and prevent malicious damage to land:
(i) Reform the Town Planning Ordinance, regulate “agricultural land for agricultural use”, authorize the Planning Department to make “Development Permission Area Plans” for rural areas, including areas currently covered by “Outline Zoning Plans”, such that the Planning Department may enforce laws in rural areas;
(ii) Amend the Waste Disposal Ordinance, such that permission is required before any disposal of construction waste on private or Government land. In granting permission, the relevant authority is to consider conservation of the environment;
(iii) Establish a cross-department law enforcement task force to protect the natural environment (including the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the Environmental Protection Department, the Lands Department, the Planning Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department), increase resources and headcount for each of the law enforcement units in these departments, cooperate to control all instances of unlawful development and ensure that damaged locations can recover.
3. Support the rehabilitation of farmland
As of the end of 2017, there were about 300 applicants in line under the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department’s Agricultural Land Rehabilitation Scheme. On average, it takes 5 years for an applicant to be matched to arable land - despite the fact that Hong Kong boasts 4,400 hectares of agricultural land. This is because apart from 700 hectares which are presently being cultivated, most farmland has been hoarded and left unused by developers while they wait for the opportunity to develop it. We suggest establishing a tax for vacant land, providing financial support to eco-friendly farming practices, providing subsidies for farmland rehabilitation, resuming farmland for agriculture, etc., to reduce hoarding of farmland.
4. Revamp the planning regime for brownfields
At present, “brownfields” cover multiple land uses, including farmland, open storage, green belts, etc. It is likely that a fair amount of agricultural land overlaps with brownfields. The Government needs to freeze and register brownfields, prevent further conversion of farmland into brownfields, increase the penalties on conversion of farmland to brownfields, and adopt “arability” as the standard for law enforcement and rehabilitation. Further, we demand the rehabilitation of farmland and a revamp of planning for brownfields. Any development should require approval upon a consideration of the location and relevant details.
5. Adopt other land supply options in place of building on agricultural land
Hong Kong’s housing issue is not one of supply but of distribution. Further, there are other land supply options apart from developing agricultural land. The ratio of the supply of public to private housing is much lower than the 6:4 target ratio set by the Long Term Housing Strategy Steering Committee. Hence, the type of housing supplied does not meet the demand of grassroots citizens. According to the Housing Authority’s estimates in the “Long Term Housing Strategy” and "Hong Kong 2030+ : Towards a Planning Vision and Strategy Transcending 2030", until 2026 the Government only needs a further 108 hectares of land to fulfill housing demands. The Government should accelerate adoption of the below land options and present appropriate policies to fulfil the immediate housing need.
- 172 hectares at Fanling Golf Course. Even under the partial development proposal made by the Planning Department, 32 hectares would be made available;
- 30 hectares above Siu Ho Wan depot (estimated to have a capacity for 14,000 public housing units);
- Use of land subject to urban renewal for building public housing;
- Use of vacant Government land and school campuses for transitional housing;
- Reduce sale of land for private residential development, and increase construction of public housing.
【發起機構 】(依筆劃序) (in stroke order)
"Organizers"
香港有機生活社 Hong Kong Organic Association
香港有機生活發展基金
Sustainable Ecological Ethical Development Foundation (SEED)
綠田園基金 Produce Green Foundation
關心香港農業發展的大家，齊參與聯署吧！
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