Prospects for the socialist transformation of agriculture in zimbabwe. Pdf an overview of fast track land reform in zimbabwe. Land reform in zimbabwe officially began in 1980 with the signing of the lancaster house agreement, as an effort to more equitably distribute land between black subsistence farmers and white zimbabweans of european ancestry, who had traditionally enjoyed superior political and economic status. The politics of disruption in zimbabwe by 1987, the government itself had come to perceive problems in the. Project muse liberation from constitutional constraints. This may be necessary in order to avoid the suffering and social instability. Land tenure and economic development in rural south africa. The second phase of the land redistribution and resettlement programme in the form of the fast track land reform programme ftlrp, which started in 2000, has created an expanded number and array of small, medium and large scale farms, and effectively transferring ownership from the minority, white farmers to new indigenous farmers. Land ownership, and rights of use of land, have been central issues for many countries throughout history, and for many are also issues of the day.
Succession law reform in zimbabwe journal of african law. Land reform, commercial agriculture and local economic. The government came up with new and revised land reform policy after 1990, passing the land acquisition act in 1992, which was supposed to speed up the land reform process through land designation and compulsory acquisition. Land reform is probably one of the most difficult domestic policy issues to be dealt with by zimbabwe, namibia, south africa and australia. Land reform s constraints and prospects policies, perspectives and ideologies in zimbabwe today, t. From an agrobased to a mineral resourcesdependent economy. In each of these countries the process of land reform is incomplete. Will zimbabwes economic downfall be repeated in south africa. Constraints and prospects soas studies in development geography university of london school of oriental and african studies, stoneman, colin, bowyerbower, t. A critical analysis of the land reform programme in zimbabwe. This rudimentary outline of the history of land reform in zimbabwe since 1980 must. The zimbabwean government will then at last be able to tackle the contentious and highly politicised land question unhindered by the constraints imposed by britain in 197980.
Manyeruke and others published the politics of land reform in zimbabwe. Zimbabwes fast track land reform has generated significant attention in. Irrespective of all constraints, the governments accomplishments during the. Africas land problem, and the implementation of south africas land reform program. Before this program, zimbabwe had a thriving agriculture sector and was a net exporter of food.
A 1998 survey of farm workers in zimbabwe detailing their demographic, and skill, land access and viewpoints of land reform and redistribution is used to examine the very real constraints and the possibilities for poverty reduction among longstanding marginalized social groups in the ongoing fasttrack land resettlement in zimbabwe. Zimbabwe, on one side of the spectrum, is facing a crisis in. But despite the general consensus not to repeat zimbabwe s economic disaster, few people disagree that land ownership needs to be reformed in south africa. Constraints and prospects ashgate, aldershot, 2000, pp. An adapted version of this paper appears in the edited collection post independence land reform in zimbabwe, published in may 2004 by the friedrich ebert stiftung in harare. Moyo, the interaction of market and compulsory land acquisition processes with social action in zimbabwe s land reform, p. Moyo, the interaction of market and compulsory land acquisition processes with social action in zimbabwes land reform, p. The need for the current land reform programme arose from the racially discriminatory laws and practices which were in place for the largest part of the twentieth century, especially those related to land ownership. After 2000, around 145,000 families were allocated smallholder plots and a further 20,000 took on medium scale farms.
Constraints and prospects soas studies in development geography. The historical context of land reform in south africa and. This policy allowed government to acquire, for compensation, land that it deemed. Southern african development community sadc, zimbabwe, over the last two decades, has failed to live up to its name and reputation. Land reform is probably one of the most difficult domestic policy issues to bedealt with by zimbabwe, namibia, south africa and australia. The history of land reform in zimbabwe is addressed and the current proposed reform p. Editorial introduction article pdf available in journal of peasant studies 385.
In this section, we zero in on masvingo province in the central south and east of the country. In the 1980s zimbabwe became the posterchild for african independence. Maposa, 2james hlongwana and 2tasara muguti abstract the article seeks to delineate and evaluate some constraints that the new black farmers in the former white commercial farms face in the backdrop of the contested land reform programme in zimbabwe. Economic case for land tenure reform land tenure reform refers to a planned change in the terms and conditions on which land is held, used and transacted. Land reform in zimbabwe has radically transformed the rural economy. This replaced an agrarian structure that was divided between 4,500 largescale commercial farms and many small communal area farms. The need for land reform south africa suffered a long history of colonization, racial domination and land dispossession that resulted in the bulk of the agricultural land being owned by a white minority. Bowyerbell and colin stoneman, land reform s constraints and prospects. The land reform programme in zimbabwe has been a major area of international discussion. Zimbabwes fast track land reform program ftlrp formally began.
Mugabes land grab in regional perspective, dr robin palmer. Much of this land was previously cattle ranches, with limited. Disparity between policy design and implementation medicine masiiwa institute of development studies university of zimbabwe may 2004 note. Introduction at independence in 1980 zimbabwe inherited a highly skewed pattern of land distribution. By developing such a land regime, zimbabwe has come to resemble most african states, which control. Land reforms constraints and prospects policies, perspectives and ideologies in zimbabwe today, t. An erratic land reform policy by the zanu pfled government marked the downfall of the agricultural sector. In zimbabwe, for the first ten years after independence in 1980, land redistribution was limited largely to that occurring on a willingbuyer, willingseller basis as defined by the lancaster house agreement. Land reform in zimbabwe is the greatest flop in the world but a success in the eyes of zanu pfutseki. A mere reference to land reforms in zimbabwe raised eyebrows.
By tarugarira gilbert abstract land is a primary and. The history of land reform in zimbabwe is addressed and the current proposed reform policies, comparison between programmes elsewhere in southern africa, and implications including for rural and urban welfare, the economy, the environment, the law, and for women. You have full access to read online and download this title. Land as a source and site of conflict in the gutu district of zimbabwe, 20002016. Understanding zimbabwes land reform in this broader context is therefore important. Commercial farming collapsed ushering in an era of semicommer. Speeding up the identification for compulsory acquisition of not less than. Problems and prospects find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Oct 03, 2002 johannesburg, 3 october irin zimbabwe s fasttrack land reform programme has ignored the critical role played by the commercial farming sector in the economy, analysts and farmers have warned.
Drs tanya bowyerbower and colin stoneman compile the views of top researchers, members of government, civil society, ngos, funders, and zimbabwe s three farmers unions. The majority of the agricultural production was large, commercial, and owned by white farmers. The distribution was unequal and gender insensitive. This paper takes a critical look at the issues surrounding the land reform programme. The book provides a detailed overview of the historical, legal, political, and economic aspects of land redistribution in zimbabwe since its independence in 1980. Rethinking the land question cherryl walker stellenbosch university this article argues that a mismatch exists between the political aspirations and popular expectations that surround the land question in south africa and the transformative potential of land reform itself. Jan 28, 20 land reform in zimbabwe is the greatest flop in the world but a success in the eyes of zanu pfutseki. The second phase of land reform and resettlement occurred in the 19971999 period moyo 2000, undp 2002. A fundamental goal of tenure reform is to enhance peoples land rights and thus provide tenure security box 2. Table trends in land use in communal lands, 196162 199192 26 table 14 sections of the populations currently vulnerable to food insecurity in zimbabwe33 table15 crop production recovery programme, 199293 to 199596 37 table 16 zimbabwe grain loan scheme. The study reported that of around 7 million hectares of land redistributed via the land reform or 20% of zimbabwe s area, 49. Land reform, commercial agriculture and local economic growth. However, with the funding cuts from the gag rule and the new funding limitations of the brookealexander amendment, future expansion prospects look bleak.
Ultimately, this note concludes that, even in the context of zimbabwes similar land crisis, south africas land reform program will prove to be successful in the years to come. The land reform in zimbabwe was organised in line with that slogan and had the following basic elements of speed, which made it to be known as the fast track land reform. World media demonised zimbabwe and the fasttrack land reforms which were initiated in 1999. The programmes stated targets were intended to alter the ethnic balance of land ownership. While on the other hand, the constraints imposed by a democratic system in south africa. Overall impacts of fast track land reform programme. Was redistribution possible, and what were the outcomes and. It was used by the aging mugabe to gain political mileage and grip which he was losing to mdc led tsvanngirai. Policies, perspectives and ideologies in zimbabwe today. Ultimately, this note concludes that, even in the context of zimbabwe s similar land crisis, south africas land reform program will prove to be successful in the years to come. Given the current economic and political situation in zimbabwe and the land reform movement, znfpc believes that expanding services into new districts is imperative.
The fast track land resettlement program implemented by the government of zimbabwe over the last two years has led to serious human rights. The fasttrack land reform and agrarian change in zimbabwe. Bowyerbell and colin stoneman, land reforms constraints and prospects. Zimbabwe food security issues paper forum for food security. Land reform was popular in international development because it fit the ambitious goal to bring about economic development by way of state actionland reform being a big push to be conceived and implemented by the state as guardian and manager of national development bernstein, 2002. This highly informative collection is the product of a 1998 london conference, updated to take note of the illegal and violent seizure of whiteowned farms starting in early 2000 by the government of robert mugabe. In 2000, zimbabwes government expropriated white farmers without compensation. This is further corroborated by literature from undergraduate and postgraduate students who have done researchwork on resettlement areas, especially in masvingo province.
Drs tanya bowyerbower and colin stoneman compile the views of top researchers, members of government, civil society, ngos, funders, and zimbabwes three farmers unions. Zimbabwe, on one side of the spectrum, is facing a crisis in democratisation due to its radical approach to land reform. It is important to note that the second phase was brief and was overtaken by the fast track land resettlement programme, which constituted the third phase of land reform and resettlement in zimbabwe. Included among the broad objectives of resettlement. Twenty years later, violent land grabs pushed white farmers off their land, and the economic turmoil caused unprecedented. Johannesburg, 3 october irin zimbabwes fasttrack land reform programme has ignored the critical role played by the commercial farming sector. The land reform and property rights in zimbabwe of 2010 is a sequel report to the 2007, adding insult to injury, a preliminary report on human rights violations on commercial farms 20002005.
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