Conrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau

ZIMBABWE Lands Commission (ZLC) has reported that most of over a thousand land disputes in the country have been reported in Mashonaland West province.

Addressing provincial multi-stakeholder consultations during formulation of a national and gender sensitive land policy in Chinhoyi this Monday, ZLC chairperson, Mrs Tendai Ruth Bare said her commission received over a thousand land dispute cases and a majority being in Mashonaland West province spread over different land holdings.

“Most of them are boundary disputes and a majority are found in this province and we are trying as hard as we can to resolve them. We have however, adopted what we call an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.

“Farmers must live harmoniously as neighbours so that they can assist each other in providing and sharing of information or equipment which you cannot do if you are hostile,” she said.

She said Government, through the fast track land reform programme, resettled 300 000 people in a space of five years which was bound to create challenges that the commission is addressing now.

Other disputes include acquisition of indigenous owned farms, double allocation of land where you get two people on same land and offer letter withdrawals, inheritance and divorce cases.

She said if the new land policy is implemented, agriculture is expected to contribute 17 percent to the Gross Domestic Policy (GDP) and help the nation attain Vision 2030.

Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mary Mliswa-Chikoka called for a gender sensitive land policy that should address challenges brought by the land reform programme.

She said there has been an increase in the demand of land across the province.