Govt identifying underutilised farms

THE Government has come up with a comprehensive criterion to identify land to accommodate more than 250 000 people who have applied, given that most of the farms have been taken up, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Anxious Masuka told the National Assembly on Wednesday last week that they will target multiple farm owners, abandoned farms, derelict and underutilised land in their bid to accommodate those on the waiting list. He said of the 250 000 on the waiting list, only 20 000 have been settled as A2 Model farmers under the Government's land reform programme, an indication that most of the land had been taken up.

Minister Masuka said this in the National Assembly while responding to questions from predominantly MDC Alliance legislators who wanted to know why it was taken long for one to be allocated land after applying.

Southerton MP, Mr Peter Moyo, had asked why it was taking long to give land to those on the waiting list. This is despite the fact that the opposition party has been discrediting the agrarian reform at home and abroad.

"Most of the land has been distributed," said Minister Masuka.

"If you go around, you will not find a place that is vacant. Even where there is no farming, but in the Registry, these farms will be having owners. "Actually, there is a problem underway for us to distribute land to those who are waiting.  

"Firstly, we are making a follow-up on those who have more than one farm. We refer to them as multiple farm owners.  

"We are following up also on those who abandoned their farms.  "We also take note of those who are underutilising their land. We take action on derelict farm owners. Minister Masuka said the high number of people on the waiting list showed more people were interested in taking up farming.

"You will see that we are actually taking from those whom we once gave these farms, but for now, we are looking at the nation rising to demand pieces of land," he said.  

"We are very happy that people have seen that it is important and fruitful and beneficial to engage in farming.  

"We now have more than 250 000 people who are on the waiting list.  

"Those whom we gave farms in A2 are only 20 000. We are now looking at downsizing farms and redistributing to others. The opportunity to get a farm is very slim as of now."

Minister Masuka explained the procedure to be followed in allocating land which include an applicant going to the district lands committee to register. He said the committee will deliberate on where to give one the land before recommending to the Provincial Lands Committee.

"Then the Ministry will also closely look at it and the Minister will give an offer letter," said Minister Masuka.