Online Reporter
Precious Manomano
THE Government has surveyed 1 264 A1 farms as part of the ongoing exercise to issue title deeds under the Land Tenure Implementation Programme, which was launched in December last year.
The initiative is aimed at formalising land ownership for beneficiaries of the Land Reform Programme.
The issuance of title deeds is envisaged to improve land tenure security and allow farmers to use their land as collateral for financing.
Official projections indicate that around 23 500 A2 farmers will receive tenure documents by June next year, while 360 000 A1 farmers are also expected to benefit from the programme.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Professor Obert Jiri said the surveyed farms were already in the system and are now having their title deeds processed.
“We have farmers who have enquired about their farms not being surveyed,” said Prof Jiri. “So far, we have surveyed 1 264 farms, so for these we are already in the process of having their deeds processed. These are being expedited to ensure that they all get their title deeds.”
The Government has also entered into agreements with six local banks to provide mortgage financing for farmers who wish to buy land. Under this arrangement, land prices are determined based on agro-ecological zones, with higher prices in regions with better rainfall and agricultural potential.
Additional factors such as proximity to towns, water availability and existing developments also affect pricing. Farmers paying in full within 90 days will receive a 15 percent discount.
Other discounts include 15 percent for war veterans, 5 percent for civil servants with 20 years of service and 2,5 percent for civil servants with at least 10 years of service.
Prof Jiri said some farmers are still facing challenges, including unresolved land disputes or farms that are yet to be surveyed.
“Of course, we still have farmers who are coming through with their farms not surveyed or with disputes,” he added.
“But these are being attended to as expeditiously as possible, and we should be able to resolve most of these challenges.”
To date, over 5 288 farmers from across provinces have expressed interest in obtaining title deeds. More than 1 000 are pursuing the mortgage route through banks.
In Mashonaland Central province, a batch of 1 000 title deeds has been submitted for processing. However, officials say printing and registration have slowed down due to system changes at the Deeds Office.
