198 white-owned farms to be gazetted

ZANU-PF's Department of Land Reform, Resettlement and Agriculture has recommended that the remaining 198 white-owned  farms be gazetted for resettlement.

According to the Central Committee report presented by President Mugabe on Thursday to the party's 12th Annual National People's Conference, there are 198 white-owned farms which the department wants gazetted.

Manicaland has the biggest number of farms yet to be gazetted (106), followed by Matabeleland South (59) and Matabeleland North (17).

Mashonaland East has eight white-owned commercial farms, Masvingo (three), Mashonaland West (one) while Mashonaland Central has none.

"The Department of Land Reform, Resettlement and Agriculture is of the view that these farms should be gazetted as there is still high demand for land for both rural and urban needs.

"So far this year 424,24 hectares have been gazetted for urban expansion," reads the report.

It noted that land redistribution was a continuous process and "the Government must continue the process to address the needs of deserving people".

The report observed that there were still some white former commercial farmers who were refusing to vacate gazetted land.

"A total of 223 former commercial farmers are under prosecution for failure to vacate gazetted land after expiry date as required by the Gazetted Land (Consequential Provisions) Act chapter 20:08 of 2006.

"The refusal by these former farm owners to vacate gazetted farms has disadvantaged 251 A2 farmers who hold offer letters," the report added.

It said the former farm owners were given time to wind up business.

Mashonaland West Province has the largest number with 47.

Manicaland Province comes second with 42 while Masvingo has 35.

Matabeleland South and Mashonaland Central have 13 each while the Midlands Province has 34.

Matabeleland North has the least with just two former commercial farmers still holding on to the gazetted land.

The report implored the Government to come up with a wholesome policy on agriculture input support to cater for different categories of farmers.

Meanwhile, 600 offer letters were processed for model A2 beneficiaries, the report said.

Of this, only five leases were issued to model A2 beneficiaries this year and altogether 127 leases have been registered to date.

On the national land audit, the report noted: "A framework for the national land audit has been submitted to Cabinet. The estimated budget for this exercise is about US$31 million."

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