STAFF WRITER
Government will start repossessing farms that are under-utilised, vacant or abandoned as well as those owned by multiple farm owners starting Monday as it moves to encourage productivity on the land, a Cabinet minister has said.
The seized land will be allocated to applicants that have been on the land waiting list, according to Land Minister, Anxious Masuka.
“The repossessed land will be allocated to the landless as we push to achieve the agricultural revolution aimed at making the country food secure,” Masuka said at the launch of the Zunde raMambo programme at chief Mapanzure’s homestead in Zvishavane at the weekend.
He added: “Productive farms will be exempt, and the government will not downsize or repossess productive farms.”
He said the government was being guided by Statutory Instrument 41 of 2020.
Government embarked on a fast track land reform exercise in 2000 to redress historical imbalances.
However, some of the beneficiaries have failed to be productive on the land leaving Zimbabwe importing grain for a country which was once the bread basket of the region.
