ZIMBABWEAN President Emmerson Mnangagwa has introduced a groundbreaking policy enabling Black farmers to sell land and use it as collateral for bank loans. This move, announced on Friday, marks a significant departure from the country’s previous land policies and aims to revitalise agriculture and empower resettled farmers.
Major shift in land ownership
Under the new policy, ownership of land, seized from white farmers during the controversial land reforms of 2000, can now be transferred—but only between ‘Indigenous Zimbabweans,’ as defined by the government. Transfers will require state approval. Previously, the resettled Black farmers were prohibited from selling or transferring land, which was classified as state property, leaving them unable to secure financing.
President Mnangagwa emphasised the economic benefits of the policy, stating it would ‘unlock the value’ of land and make it both ‘bankable and transferable.’ Speaking at an event on his farm near Kwekwe, Mnangagwa and a handful of farmers received title deeds to their properties.
The legacy of land reforms
The original land reforms, led by former President Robert Mugabe, saw over 4,500 white farmers forcibly removed from their land to redistribute it among tens of thousands of Black Zimbabweans. While the policy was justified as redressing colonial-era injustices, it led to violent seizures, economic turmoil, and a collapse in commercial farming.
According to Human Rights Watch, the seizures resulted
in injuries, deaths, and significant economic losses. Zimbabwe, once a regional food exporter, became reliant on donor aid.
Addressing historical challenges
In recent years, Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector has shown signs of recovery, though challenges like drought persist. The inability to use land as collateral for loans has remained a major obstacle, one Mnangagwa believes this policy will address.
‘Secure land tenure means our farmers can access credit facilities,’ Mnangagwa said, adding that this change could ‘lift many out of poverty into prosperity.’
Compensation for displaced farmers
In a related move, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube announced plans to compensate local and foreign white farmers who lost land and property during the seizures. The government has allocated resources to this effort, aiming to address long-standing grievances while charting a new path forward.
Zimbabwe’s shift in land policy represents a criti
cal attempt to balance historical redress with modern economic realities, positioning its farmers to contribute more robustly to the nation’s agricultural output and financial stability.
