By Agencies
GOVERNMENT will soon embark on a nationwide land audit targeting underutilised farms, multiple farm ownership and irregular land allocations as authorities move to restore order and maximise production.
Lands and Rural Development Minister Vangelis Haritatos said the audit would use modern technologies, including remote sensing and drone verification, to establish the legality, allocation status and productive use of land across the country.
“Underutilisation, multiple ownership and irregular allocations will be addressed because land is a finite national resource that must be productively used,” he said.
“A structured land audit will be conducted using tools such as remote sensing and drone verification to establish factual evidence on land use, legality and allocation status.”
Modern technologies such as remote sensing, drones and digital mapping systems will allow authorities to assess land use more accurately and efficiently during an audit.
Remote sensing technology uses satellite imagery to monitor farming activity, crop production levels and whether land is being fully utilised.
By comparing images taken over time, authorities can identify idle or underdeveloped farms and detect illegal settlements or land parcelling.
Drones will provide high-resolution aerial images and real-time footage of farms, helping officials verify boundaries, infrastructure development, irrigation activity and the extent of productive use on the ground.
The technology can also assist in resolving boundary disputes and confirming whether land allocations match official records.
Minister Haritatos said the process would be conducted fairly and would not target farmers facing genuine operational challenges such as drought or lack of financing.
“The process will be fair and will not target farmers affected by genuine challenges such as drought or lack of finance,” he said.
“However, where land is found to be unjustifiably idle, intervention may include repossession or downsizing.
“The guiding principle is maximum productive use of land, not punitive action for its own sake.”
The minister said Government was also intensifying efforts to issue title deeds to farmers as part of broader measures aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and unlocking access to financing.
He said secure tenure remained central to agricultural transformation, adding that title deeds would improve farmer confidence, stimulate investment and create financing opportunities through partnerships and resource mobilisation.
Minister Haritatos said the Ministry would accelerate issuance of title deeds by prioritising farms with clean, surveyed and dispute-free records while improving processing, verification and distribution systems.
“Title deeds are intended to boost farmer confidence, stimulate investment and unlock value through resource mobilisation, partnerships and a range of financing opportunities,” he added.
“The Ministry will focus on accelerating issuance by prioritising farms with clean, surveyed and dispute-free records, while speeding up processing, verification and distribution of tenure documents.
“Systems will also be strengthened to ensure title deeds are supported by credible surveys, clear boundaries, accurate records and secure digital data, because a deed is only as useful as the integrity of the land information behind it.”
On illegal land allocations commonly referred to as “sabhuku deals”, Minister Haritatos said the Government was treating the matter as a serious governance issue.
“Land allocation must remain legal, orderly and accountable,” he said.
“No village head, land baron or official has the authority to sell State land.”
He said Government was working with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, traditional leaders, rural district councils, the Zimbabwe Land Commission and law enforcement agencies to verify allocations and enforce action against illegal land parcelling.
Measures being implemented include spatial mapping of approved land-use plans and public awareness campaigns warning citizens against illegal land purchases.
Minister Haritatos also reaffirmed Government’s commitment to compensating former white commercial farmers under the 2020 Global Compensation Deed framework valued at about US$3,5 billion.
He said the compensation process, which covers about 4 000 former farmers, was being implemented in line with the Constitution and national interests.
“This process does not reverse land reform, which remains irreversible,” he said.
“It is aimed at settling historical obligations, strengthening international reengagement and reducing uncertainty in the agricultural sector.”
-ZwPapers
