Use it or lose it, Govt warns farmers

Edgar Vhera

Agriculture Specialist Writer

AS Government moves to consolidate strategies to increase agriculture’s contribution to the national gross domestic product (GDP) through improved and diversified production, it has issued notice of intention to withdraw offer letters from beneficiaries who are not utilising the land, as revealed by the ongoing land audit.

In a notice of intention to withdraw land offer letters under the land reform and resettlement programme (Model A2, Phase II), Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka has given the concerned beneficiaries two weeks within which time to show cause for their desire for continued occupancy.

“Notice is hereby given that the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development intends to withdraw the offer of land made to the below mentioned beneficiaries and farm details; Chikiye E of sub division 5 Bembezaan Farm of Midlands’ Mvuma district measuring 377, 31 hectares who is not visible on the farm as well as Nebarwe Muyedzo of sub division 1 Hickling Farm of Midlands’ Mvuma district measuring 339 hectares who has abandoned the farm,” said the notice.

The notice invited the beneficiaries to make representations on this matter in writing within 14 days and to include records of their production and productivity returns.

APEX for Women in Agriculture board chairperson, Mrs Teverai Chigogo welcomed the move saying there were a lot of people holding on to land without any production.

“My only encouragement to Government is to be 100 percent sure of the state of affairs on any farm before these withdrawals. As a farmer, I have seen farmers being mocked as producing grass, yet the farmers are, for example, in the livestock business, where they need thatgrass. So, passers-by would believe that nothing is being done,” she said.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZCFU) president Dr Shadreck Makombe applauded the Government for the move saying it was meant to increase agriculture production and productivity as well as food and nutrition security.

“Government is moving in the right direction, as this is state land and the repossessed land should be fairly distributed and put to good use. There are many people who need land and for a beneficiary to abandon or not use land is very unfair to those who would have made good use of the land to produce for the country. Right now, we need to be productive and not be held back with issues of land distribution,” said Dr Makombe.

He said not everyone was a farmer and if the concerned parties are genuine farmers, then they should approach the Government and explain their position.

All land distributed under the land reform programme must be used productively so that the country produces sufficient food for local consumption and surplus to export for foreign currency generation, he said.