By Staff reporter
FORMER Finance Minister, Herbert Murerwa has saluted the just launched title deeds program saying the initiative will go a long way to unlock capital in the agricultural sector.
Zimbabwe has struggled to secure concrete funding for the beneficiaries of the Land Reform Program.
The last attempt to introduce 99 years long leases hit a snag following the instruments rejection by the financial sector which felt the documents were largely political than economical.
In a last ditch bid to breathe life into the question of land tenure in the Southern Africa nation, President Emmerson Mnangagwa Friday launched the Title Deeds Program which see qualifying beneficiaries receiving full title.
Murerwa a former cabinet minister during the late former President Robert Mugabe’s era was one of the first ten beneficiaries of the exercise .
He saluted the program describing it as a capital rais9ng initiative which will go a long way to unlock capital in the agricultural sector.
“The most important thing is that when you have capital, you are able to invest knowing fully well that you have security of tenure. And also you have access to capital, which is very important .And so,I think this will unlock a lot of productivity for the farms which otherwise are unable to move forward,” he said.
Also speaking to a local private weekly paper, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands ,Agriculture , Fisheries , Water and Rural Development , Professor Orbert Jiri said the government has already distributed over 10 million hectares to over 366 000 beneficiaries since 1980.About 12 000 plots have already been surveyed and are easily transferrable.
“The objective is to covert offer letters and 99 year leases to deeds of transfer for 2 500 farms by March 2025.Ten deeds of transfer were issued on Friday; 250 more will be issued by the end of January 2025; and 2500 by March 2025.
He said title deeds will enable farmers to use their land as collateral for loans , boosting access to financing and enhancing productivity.
“With the department of Deeds and Intellectual Property capable of processing 1 000 title deeds per day it is envisaged that all A1 and A@ offer letters and 99 year leases will be converted to deeds of transfer within 18 months,” he added.
