Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
The land reform programme is no longer being fast-tracked and people should respect holders of 99-year leases regardless of their race, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Speaking during a tour of the Muni, Emily Park and Chifundi Farms in Mhangura last week, Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlements Minister Chief Air Marshal Perrance Shiri (Retired) said the next frontier was increasing production on farms.

Minister Shiri also told illegal settlers to move out after they finish harvesting.

“We all know that the Jambanja phase of the land reform programme is over. No one should be disturbed when they are on their farm whether they are black or white,” said Min Shiri.

“If a person is in possession of an offer letter or a 99-year lease, we should respect them because of that document that is coming from Government,” he said.

However, it also emerged that some farmers settled on pastures have offer letters.

Such people, he said, should urgently get land elsewhere.

“People should respect the laws of the land,” he said.

“If they settled themselves, they should leave as soon as possible.”

Minister Shiri encourage skilled commercial farmers to exchange their knowledge with their resettled counterparts.

Such a model has been used successfully at Emily Park Farm, where several A1 farmers are working together to produce using Government-sourced equipment.

He commended the farmers for working together with established farmer Mr Gary Bossman, saying they have since transformed their plots into a viable land.

Minister Shiri said although the mid-season dry spell had affected yields this year, the late rains have since improved the crop situation in some parts of the country.

“The rains have been falling lately and the crops are looking good in most parts of the country. I don’t see ourselves importing maize this year,” he said.

Grain imports usually cost the economy more than $100 million annually.

Chief Air Marshal Shiri (Rtd) said farmers should consolidate current production levels in order to ensure that the country will not import again.

Minister Shiri also said farmers should work hard in order to be progressively weaned from solely relying on Government.

“As such, beneficiaries should show a distinction from those who have no irrigation facilities by working hard,” he said.