Namibia land reform to cost billions

By agencies
WINDHOEK, Namibia- The government of Namibia will have to shell out a staggering N$3.7 billion over the next 15 years to acquire a targeted 10.3 million hectares of commercial farm land to resettle 6,727 families by 2020, a new report reveals.
Another five million hectares of communal land will be portioned off into small farming units.
Support services for resettled beneficiaries will come to a further N$1,4 million for the same period, while N$ 53,3 million a year will be needed to develop communal land.
The Ministry of Lands and Resettlement finally made its long-awaited Land Reform Report and Strategic Action Plan public yesterday - it was compiled by a team of experts at the end of 2004.
Cabinet recently approved the recommendations made in the report, which was mainly financed by Germany, Britain and the US.
Developing the five million hectares of communal land for small-scale farming will require an additional N$ 53,3 million a year.
“Developing communal land is a crucial component to land reform,” the report says.
It recommends the acquisition of 270 000 hectares of commercial farmland a year until 2020.
This translates into approximately 50 commercial farms a year, averaging 5 000 hectares.
Despite obstacles and drawbacks, the government had bought 197 commercial farms since the start of the land reform process 10 years ago, comprising 1,2 million hectares through the willing-seller, willing-buyer process, Minister Jerry Ekandjo said at the launch in Windhoek.
“We have resettled 1 616 families so far,” he said.
“If the land issue is not resolved, it can have political, economic and social implications for Namibia’s socio-economic development,” Ekandjo emphasised.
“For the successful implementation of the land reform programme as outlined in the Strategic Action Plan, regional councils and local authorities have a crucial role to play.
Community involvement and mass participation in development efforts is recognised to be at the heart of the Government’s land reform in order to promote a participatory approach, as there can be no effective development without community participation,” Ekandjo said.
The Minister assured land owners and stakeholders that Government would continue implementing land reform in line with the relevant laws.•