Chronicle Editor
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Sunday News Reporter
THE Government will soon resume the farm downsizing and redistribution exercise after tasking Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution to identify idle, under-utilised farms and those exceeding the maximum recommended sizes for their respective agro-ecological regions.
In November last year Government embarked on the process of identifying multiple ownerships, abandoned farms, derelict farms and under-utilised farms so that they will be redistributed to other beneficiaries. This comes after more than 200 000 people were shortlisted on the farm waiting list in all provinces. Agritex officers moved around farms assessing land utilisation and verifying the return report done by farmers.
Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Hon Douglas Karoro said the ministry had tasked the Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution to identify idle, under-utilised farms and those exceeding the maximum recommended sizes for their respective agro-ecological regions and recommend them for possible redistribution.
Deputy Minister Karoro said the Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution will also redistribute the land to targeted beneficiaries subject to approval by the Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister.
“The Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Ministry invoked the powers under the Agricultural Marketing Authority Act (Chapter 18.24) to cause A2 and A1 farmers to submit mandatory production returns. This was followed by an exercise to identify idle, under-utilized farms and those exceeding the maximum recommended sizes for their respective agro-ecological regions. This was done by the ministry and the Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution. The same Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution have been tasked to identify farms for the downsizing and redistribution exercise. They will be responsible for the redistribution after seeking approval from the Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister,” he said.
Deputy Minister Karoro said there should be mutual agreement between farm owners and Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution before the land is repossessed.
“We are not taking land from former land owners but they reach an agreement with lands committees and the Provincial Ministers of State,” he said.
Lands, Agriculture, Fishers, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Anxious Masuka recently told Sunday News that the exercise will be done to ensure optimal production and productive farms exceeding the maximum farm sizes for the respective agro-ecological region shall be exempted from downsizing until further guidance. Government wants to transform more than 370 000 farmers into viable and agricultural entrepreneurs.
“We envision transforming the 18 000 A2 farmers to become agricultural entrepreneurs and the farms to become enviable businesses by 2025. We envisage transforming the 360 000 A1 farmers to become viable and formal Small to Medium Enterprises by 2025,” he said.
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