The Sunday News
PRESIDENT Mugabe is on Wednesday expected to officially launch the new A1 farmers permit, which was introduced early this year by the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement to regularise the land redistribution process. Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora told a Zanu PF Matabeleland interprovincial co-ordinating committee meeting recently that the new document would bring sanity in the land redistribution process by centralising the issuance of land and land permits.
The new A1 farmers permit replaces the offer letters which farmers who were resettled under the A1 scheme had been relying on.
Dr Mombeshora said the offer letters that A1 farmers had been using were not detailed enough and were issued by several offices, which created confusion in the process.
He said the new document, which works as a title deed to the land, endorses farmer’s security of tenure as well as governs the use of land.
“Drafting of the A1 permit according to Statutory Instrument 53 of 2014 is now complete. Unlike the offer letters which were issued out at district level by several offices, the permit will be issued by the Minister of Lands.
“This is a much more detailed document which also has guidelines on the inheritance of the farm in case the owner dies,” he said.
“Once the document is launched by the President (Mugabe) on 2 July it will bring a lot of sanity in the land redistribution process and benefit farmers in a number of ways,” he said.
Dr Mombeshora said the introduction of the new document was likely to spur productivity among A1 farmers as it would guarantee them full ownership of their pieces of land which they can use as collateral to secure loans.
“The permit will work in the same manner as the 99-year lease and can be used as a title deed for the land which will enable farmers to make long term investments on their land without fear that the land can be repossessed. With the document A1 farmers will have rights to their land for an indefinite period and they can secure loans using their pieces of land as collateral.
“In my view this will work towards increasing productivity among the farmers,” said Dr Mombeshora.
Turning to A2 farmers, Dr Mombeshora urged farmers in Matabeleland region to register their 99-year leases with the deeds office, saying only a few farmers in the region had registered leases.
There are more than 1 500 A2 farmers resettled in Matabeleland North and South provinces.
“The 99-year leases give farmers assurance that the land is theirs and will be accessible without undue disturbances. It also provides farmers with security to borrow from banks. But the problem we are facing is that the majority of our farmers are reluctant to register their leases.
“Only 14 farmers submitted their leases for registration but out of that only four managed to register their leases. Farmers are reluctant with some saying the fees are too much. Farmers can come forward and negotiate payment plans,” he said.
Dr Mombeshora also revealed that his ministry had engaged the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe in talks over the provision of loans to A1 and A2 farmers.
He said the talks between the two parties were progressing well and expressed optimism that local banks would soon start granting loans to resettled farmers, using land as collateral.
“We are talking to the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe so that our lease documents can be bankable and farmers can use those documents to secure loans from local banks.
“At the moment local banks seem reluctant to assist our farmers but talks with their representatives are going on well and I’m looking forward to a breakthrough soon,” he said.
Dr Mombeshora said farmers who were allocated land under the fast track land reform programme must increase productivity by engaging in contract farming.
He said farmers should, however, seek approval from Government before entering into contracts.
“We also encourage farmers to get into contract farming as a way of boosting their business and productivity. Farmers should work out joint ventures with various partners. As Government we would however need to look into those contracts and approve the partnerships to ensure a win-win situation between farmers and their partners,” he said.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union second vice president, Mr Abdul Nyathi lauded Government for coming up with the new permit for A1 farmers, saying the new document would go a long way in guaranteeing farmers security of tenure on their pieces of land.
He said this would enable farmers to undertake long term investments on their pieces of land without fear that their land might be repossessed.
“This is a welcome move. The permit is bankable and will allow farmers to borrow money to boost their activities. The fact that the new permit guarantees the farmer security of tenure means that one can now go ahead and make long term investments on their land without fear of losing the land in the long run,” he said.
The country embarked on a fast track land redistribution programme at the turn on the millennium which saw over 300 000 black families which were previously disadvantaged being allocated land.
