Opinion / Columnist
State Land Rentals and Levies Noble Idea
16 Nov 2015 at 12:17hrs | Views
The prescription by the recently assented to Finance Act for the beneficiaries of the land reform to start paying rentals and levies to the Government is a prudent idea poised to benefit the state. It is a sensible idea which has been long overdue for all the land holders to contribute meaningfully to the infrastructural development of the areas where their farms are located. Certainly these newly resettled farmers need social services and amenities like schools, health centres, water and roads among other services.
It is vital that the residents play a pivotal role in enhancing the success of their respective communities. This, in a way, eases pressure on the fiscus which is struggling to meet its other fundamental issues due to the dwindling revenue base. This new requirement will certainly make a difference to the livelihood of the new farmers scattered all over the country.
The new law makes it mandatory for the new farmers to pay rental levies annually. Any land holder that defies the new set up will lose the land to the state which will in turn be redistributed to other citizens that are in dare need of the same land for productive utilization.
This procedure will naturally sift serious farmers from bad apples that are sitting idly for almost over a decade on the land, instead of production which can benefit the rest of the nation. The Finance Act, should be applied indiscriminately in order to restore sanity on our agricultural front which is currently facing a declined due to non-committed farmers that are only deriving pride out of holding land which they cannot put to good for the good of Zimbabwe.
This country is an agrarian economy which depends largely on the utilization of land for its survival. The land constitutes the most invaluable means of production which can sustain humanity. The new farmers have a critical responsibility to ensure food security. If this is not guaranteed, surely, there is no need to keep non-productive farmers on the land. It should be parceled-out to dedicated farmers that have the potential capacity to produce and feed the nation as well as resuscitate the agro-based industry.
The land is the sole source of hope for us all as a nation to improve the economy. It is high time that the nation should put sufficient effort to make use of all possible channels which can improve the agrarian economy for the good of all rather than sitting on the means of production while poverty takes a toll on the populace.
It is vital that the residents play a pivotal role in enhancing the success of their respective communities. This, in a way, eases pressure on the fiscus which is struggling to meet its other fundamental issues due to the dwindling revenue base. This new requirement will certainly make a difference to the livelihood of the new farmers scattered all over the country.
The new law makes it mandatory for the new farmers to pay rental levies annually. Any land holder that defies the new set up will lose the land to the state which will in turn be redistributed to other citizens that are in dare need of the same land for productive utilization.
This procedure will naturally sift serious farmers from bad apples that are sitting idly for almost over a decade on the land, instead of production which can benefit the rest of the nation. The Finance Act, should be applied indiscriminately in order to restore sanity on our agricultural front which is currently facing a declined due to non-committed farmers that are only deriving pride out of holding land which they cannot put to good for the good of Zimbabwe.
This country is an agrarian economy which depends largely on the utilization of land for its survival. The land constitutes the most invaluable means of production which can sustain humanity. The new farmers have a critical responsibility to ensure food security. If this is not guaranteed, surely, there is no need to keep non-productive farmers on the land. It should be parceled-out to dedicated farmers that have the potential capacity to produce and feed the nation as well as resuscitate the agro-based industry.
The land is the sole source of hope for us all as a nation to improve the economy. It is high time that the nation should put sufficient effort to make use of all possible channels which can improve the agrarian economy for the good of all rather than sitting on the means of production while poverty takes a toll on the populace.
Source - Suitable Kajau
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