Published by the government of Zimbabwe
6 July 2009
Harare — MORE than 15 000 A2 farmers are set to receive 99-year leases as the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement begins to implement the National Land Grand Audit plan.
Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Herbert Murerwa said the move was part of Government's efforts to provide security of tenure to beneficiaries of the land reform.
"Over 15 000 A2 farms will soon be audited for registration of 99-year leases my ministry is working around the clock to mobilise resources to kick-start the surveying and registration of the farms but the shortage of land surveyors is a drawback.
"The land master plan is expected to iron out boundary disputes, capacity utilisation, and geographical information while at the same time making available land to other people who have not yet benefited," he said. The registration of farmers who will get 99-year leases comes as good news to farmers who have been failing to access loans due to lack of collateral and assurance about their future on their farms. Minister Murerwa last month told delegates who were attending the national land policy review retreat in Kariba that Government would conduct a comprehensive, transparent and non partisan land audit designed to eliminate farm ownership and ensure security of tenure to all land holders.
He said it was imperative for Government to come up with a framework for resolving land disputes to create a conducive environment for production on farms and improve security of assets and people. At least 40 white commercial farmers were last month recommended to get offer letters under the land reform programme in Masvingo bringing to over 53, the number of white commercial farmers granted offer letters this year. Initially 13 white farmers were granted offer letters and retained their farms in Guruve District in April.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2009 The Herald. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
Nice heading but if there are no surveyors, how the heck is Hebert going to survey the A2 farms to pave way for issuance of leases? Please dont take us for fools.