The Zimbabwe Land Commission is carrying out the one-month phase 4 extension of the 2022 comprehensive national agricultural land audit to establish a full account of the level of use of all agricultural land in the country.
The audit is meant to identify land utilisation patterns and optimal farming activities to influence appropriate policies for increased agricultural productivity, poverty alleviation and sustainable use of agricultural land.
In a statement, the ZLC said the audit between December 14 and January 15, is to establish a full account of how all agricultural land in Zimbabwe is being used for providing economic growth, social equity and environmental sustainability.
“The agricultural land audit is being carried out in all the eight rural provinces concurrently covering both gazetted and ungazetted land categories, including old resettlement schemes, A1 villagised, A1 self-contained, A2 farms (small, medium and large scale), peri-urban farms, large scale commercial farms, small scale commercial farms (Matenganyika) and the commercial farm settlement scheme,” said the commission.
The audit is also being done in commercial agricultural plots, wildlife farms and three-tier and institutional farms.
“The audit is being carried out in Mashonaland West’s Makonde, Sanyati, Zvimba, Mhondoro Ngezi and Chegutu districts. In Mashonaland Central, the audit is being done in Guruve and Mt Darwin, while in Mashonaland East we have Seke, Murehwa, Mutoko and Chikomba.”
In Manicaland, farms in Nyanga, Chipinge and Chimanimani will be audited; in Midlands those in Shurugwi, Gweru, Gokwe North and Gokwe South; in Masvingo those in Chiredzi, Masvingo, Mwenezi, Bikita and Zaka; in Matabeleland North, Bubi; and in Matabeleland South, Insiza.
“We expect farmers and their spouses to be present at the time of visit to their farms.
“Farmers are expected to produce original identification documents for both spouses; original land ownership documents (AZ offer letter, A1 settlement permits, A2 permits, 99-year lease, any other leases, deed of grant, deed of transfer and any other form of land ownership documents,” said the ZLC.
Farmers are also expected to present death certificates in case of a deceased’s estate, letter of administration in case of deceased’s estate, production and sales records for previous three seasons for livestock, crops, and game or wildlife. Sales receipts, stock registers and delivery notes, among others are acceptable.
Five-year development and production plan should also be presented to the ZLC officers carrying out the audit.
From the previous land audits, the major issues that arose were boundary disputes as some farmers would have encroached onto other farmers’ land.
Zimbabweans are keen on the land audit as it is likely to unearth underused land plus double and multiple allocations.
The audit is expected to identify the challenges and constraints being faced by the farmers in successfully addressing the agrarian reform agenda.
The information from the audit will also be used by Government to address challenges faced by farmers and to come up with possible solutions so that farmers will boost production and be able to contribute to the economy and farmers becoming part of the 2030 Vision of becoming an upper middle income economy. – The Herald
