Paraguay's Indert needs more budget to meet peasant and indigenous demands, says president

Paraguay's National Institute for Rural Development and Land (Indert) is operating at a critical level due to severe budget restrictions, according to its president, Francisco Ruiz Díaz. These limitations impede the institution's ability to deliver land titles and adequately support rural and indigenous communities, despite ongoing coordination with multisectoral organizations.

Peasant and indigenous sectors are urging the state to allocate a larger budget to Indert, arguing that insufficient resources slow down land purchases, lot titling, and productive development initiatives. Ruiz Díaz acknowledged the strong relationship with these groups, noting their crucial role in preparing community projects. He highlighted a significant increase in the administration of President Santiago Peña, with construction permit authorizations soaring from an average of 3,000 per year to a projected 22,000 by next year.

While indigenous communities express satisfaction with Indert's efforts, they emphasize that the support is insufficient. Ruiz Díaz explained that the institute's capacity is constrained by its current budget, which stands at just over 130 billion guaraníes. This is a stark contrast to the 530 billion guaraníes available years ago, representing roughly 25% of the former budget. Despite this reduction, Indert claims to be achieving nearly 400% more output than in the past, with approximately 4,000 land titles issued annually compared to a historical average of 900.

"We are at a critical level. Today, the peasant demand for initiating the titling process far exceeds our capacity due to resource problems, not even management problems," Ruiz Díaz stated. He emphasized that the demand for land titling significantly outstrips Indert's financial capabilities, underscoring the urgent need for increased budgetary allocation to meet the growing needs of rural and indigenous populations.

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They say they are satisfied with what Indert is doing, but that it is little. The problem is that Indert is at a critical level because it can no longer do more than its budget allows. Therefore, they demand a larger budget allocation.