via Land grabs hinder economic revival – DailyNews Live 20 August 2015
HARARE – Government’s continued land grabs will worsen the country’s economic situation by pushing away investors.
Last week, government gazetted 23 white-owned farms for acquisition, but we strongly feel that it’s now time Zimbabwe puts the land reform exercise to bed and politicians must not use land as a political tool at the expense of the economy.
The continued kicking out of the remaining white farmers from their commercial farms does not only scupper business re-engagements efforts between Zimbabwe and the West, but also scares potential investors away from the country.
And this latest wave of farm invasions coming a few days after President Robert Mugabe assured investors of protection once they come into the country, smacks of hypocrisy and policy inconsistency on the part of the Zanu PF-led government.
This is because what investors — both domestic and foreign — expect is a clear, predictable legal framework, security of tenure and respect for the rule of law. This is true for all sectors of the economy including the agricultural sector, regardless of the colour and nationality of those who occupy the land.
While we are not advocating for the reversal of the land reform programme, we feel that Mugabe’s regime should not be allowed to continue abusing land by parcelling it out to cronies at the expense of white farmers.
It is now apparently clear to all and sundry that after 15 years of the chaotic land reform, most of Zimbabwe’s agro-based economy has collapsed as crops can no longer be produced in good quantities by the new farmers that took over the land post-2000.
For instance, interlinkages between the sectors, especially between agriculture and manufacturing, were decimated through the fast track land reform programme, which began a worsening disarticulation of the economy and wrenching structural changes that will have far reaching consequences for recovery.
The largest bumper harvest recorded in Zimbabwe after independence was 2,8 million tonnes of maize in 1981 followed by 2,7 million tonnes in 1985.
Official figures also show that maize production declined sharply following implementation of the land reform programme from 2,1 million tonnes in 2000 to 1,5 million tonnes in 2001 and 500 000 tonnes in 2002.
The highest wheat production was 325 000 tonnes in 1990, but this declined from 2000 due to the displacement of commercial farmers. Large-scale commercial farmers with most of the irrigation infrastructure were the main producers of wheat.
With these statistics and facts at our disposal, there is no need for continued land grabs. In fact we should embrace all productive farmers and learn from them so that Zimbabwe can recover its breadbasket status.
COMMENTS
Dream on. ZANU does not care
The “Urge To Steal” is irresistable to all Zanoids. Of course it will hurt the economy, but they are too stupid to know that and don’t care anyway.
Pamberi ne Zanoooo!!! Praise the Tokoloshe!!! Up with racism!!!
You can’t make a farmer out of a lazy thief. Pie-in-the-sky.
No country in its right mind is going to keep throwing money down the pit called Zimbabwe.
Zanu have their own appointed praise singer about their land grab – Professor Scoones from Sussex. But as time progresses we will see that millions of migrants head to Europe that are forced to run away from the likes of Scoones and Zanu. This migrant issue is growing and is the direct result of the Scoones and Zanu mentality. It seems only fair for say between 100 million and 200 million African refuges to run away from Africa (Zuma, Mugabe, Mengestu, Gadaffi, Malema, and so forth) and then this will present Scoones with an opportunity to steal land in Europe to have a Fast Track Land Reform Programme in Europe for Africans that his own wisdom created! Thus the saying “Scoones is a Conservative at home but Liberal abroad!” Scoones is a jolly good fellow – and so say all of us – when he is jollifying himself on stolen property and creating poverty and lawlessness with Zanu. He is anointed by Zanu! The result is 1000 illegal migrants on dinghys into Europe daily – that we know of. How will it look in ten years time! This will be the Scoones/Mugabe Legacy.
“While we are not advocating for the reversal of the land reform programme,”+ “there is no need for continued land grabs”
It is clear what you stand for. Stealing from whites is Ok, but the spoils should be distributed more evenly among the Shona?
The majority of Shona still vote Mugarbage, don’t complain and live your self inflicted misery.
Why are “we” not advocating a reversal of the land reform process
As long as stealing all they have from citizens if they are white is encouraged there can be no futute for the country.
What disappoints me is the deathly silence from black Zimbos at this naked racism. How can black people dare to complain when they are the most racist of all?