Online Reporter
Theseus Shambare and Precious Manomano
Government is set to issue title deeds to over 13 000 A2 farmers whose land has been surveyed, marking a major step in strengthening security of tenure under the Land Reform Programme.
The land tenure system, which was officially launched by President Mnangagwa on December 28, 2024, is expected to grant full ownership rights to beneficiaries, covering about 23 000 A2 farmers and 280 000 A1 farmers nationwide.
For more than two decades, Zimbabwe’s land reform beneficiaries — especially A1 and A2 farmers — have grappled with a silent, but crippling challenge: Lack of secure land ownership documents.
Without a bankable title, these farmers have struggled to access credit, invest in infrastructure, or confidently plan for the future.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri said the programme was progressing steadily, with hundreds of title deeds already issued.
“During 2025, we managed to deliver more than 500 physical title deeds to farmers,” said Prof Jiri.
He said a total of 13 000 A2 farmers were now ready to receive their title deeds after their farms were surveyed, with 7 756 of them already successfully linked to the rightful beneficiaries.
“These farmers can now come at any time as we are actively calling them to ensure that they receive their title deeds as quickly as possible,” he said.
Prof Jiri said progress on A1 farmers was also underway, although the process was slower due to the scale of beneficiaries involved.
Of the more than 280 000 A1 farmers, over 400 title deeds have so far been processed in Mashonaland Central Province.
He said the Government was rolling out the Productivity Booster Kit, which combines the issuance of title deeds with irrigation infrastructure, as part of efforts to enhance productivity among A1 farmers.
To facilitate access to title deeds, Government has partnered six financial institutions — POSB, CBZ, AFC, FBC and ZB — which are offering 20-year mortgage facilities to eligible farmers.
“Initially, the majority of payments were cash-based, but we now also have mortgage arrangements in place, and the process is moving well,” said Prof Jiri.
He said farmers should expect a significant increase in the issuance of title deeds during the current and into the second quarter of 2026.
Government has also decentralised the application process to make it more accessible, allowing farmers to submit data forms digitally, with physical presence required only at the signing stage.
“Anyone with a piece of land can apply for a title deed, provided their offer letters or land payments are verified,” said Prof Jiri, adding that long-standing leaseholders, including white former commercial farmers who remained on their land, are also eligible.
However, he warned against illegal land transactions, stressing that the parcelling of communal land without authority is prohibited and that allocation of agricultural land remains the responsibility of the Minister of Lands.
On compensation, Prof Jiri said Government continues to allocate 10 percent annually in the national budget towards compensating former white commercial farmers, a process that has received international recognition.
The title deeds programme is expected to enhance land tenure security, unlock financing opportunities and boost agricultural productivity across the country.
Peter Tanyanyiwa