Youths want land

YOUTHS in Hurungwe district have called on the new Government to prioritise farm downsizing to enable them to benefit and help in the country’s development.

The youths said they wanted to help increase production on the farms, saying large swathes of land were being underutilised.

In an interview, Mr Evans Mangambira of Tengwe hailed the vision by Government in undertaking the land reform as a tool for empowerment.

“When the Third Chimurenga was conducted, most of us were still in school and failed to take any action in the life changing process,” he said.

“We have, however, seen that there is wealth in the land. I recently rented a piece of land where I had to put tobacco and got a few thousand dollars.”

Mr Mangambira said without land ownership, youths cannot access loans from banks which require collateral.

Without land, he said, youths were unable to participate in Government’s Command Agriculture programme which has uplifted the livelihoods of thousands of previously marginalised blacks.

“Through Command Agriculture, the country is guaranteed of an economic turnaround,” said another youth. “This is, however, impossible due to the unavailability of offer letters which are a prerequisite in being considered under the scheme.”

Hurungwe North National Assembly member-elect and Zanu-PF provincial Youth League secretary for administration Cde Ability Gandawa said youths were expected to continue to benefit from the farm downsizing exercise.

“There is downsizing of big farms underway and our priority is that youths from this province should also benefit from this exercise,” he said.

Government is working on a farm downsizing framework with assessments currently underway.