Story by John Nhandara
Farmers are on cloud nine after the government announced that all land held by beneficiaries of the land reform programme under 99-year leases, offer letters and permits will now be held under a bankable, registrable, and transferable documents of tenure.
Speaking to ZBC News, Goromonzi-based farmer Mr Borniface Mutize from Beatrice noted that the development will not only enhance agricultural production but serve as a hallmark of ensuring the country’s food security.
“This is a positive development by the Second Republic because it has empowered the farmers who can now even borrow capital for farming production, thus ensuring food security.
“What this means is if I have 100 hectares which I can not fully utilise, I am now able to transfer another 50 hectares to another capable person,” he said.
The move has since been welcomed by the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union, saying it will transform the agricultural sector for the better.
“Having a bankable document means we will have value for our land, meaning we can trade our land as collateral security to which now we are now concentrating on production. It’s just as good as a title deed,” ZCFU president, Dr Shadreck Makombe.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union secretary general, Mr Paul Zakariya weighed in, “This is a game changer in that if all the modalities are put in place and all the stakeholders are agreeable then we will begin to see a flow of funding towards agriculture.”
Announcing the development in a post-cabinet media briefing in Harare this Tuesday, the government also indicated that security of tenure to all agriculture land regularised under the programme will only be transferable among indigenous Zimbabweans.
Land targeted for the new land tenure system will exclude communal lands under the jurisdiction of traditional chiefs.
