Elita Chikwati Agriculture Reporter
Farmers have raised concern over the land tax, which they say should not be charged across the board as the land is not uniform in terms of agro-ecological regions and agricultural activities being under taken. The levy, initiated through the Finance Act No 8 of 2015 provides for $3 land rentals per hectare, and $2 unit tax per hectare. The Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement collects the money and forward it to Treasury before the latter allocates it to respective local authorities.
The farmers said the tax could be expensive if one had a farm with poor soils. They also complained over lack of meaningful development in the farming areas with infrastructure such as roads, clinics and schools still not available.
Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union agriculture economist Mr Prince Kuipa said A2 farmers were being reasonable as there was no fairness on the charges.
“The land tax should be charged according to the agro-ecological region. Region one is productive, but regions four and five do not have fertile soils and are used for livestock rearing. A livestock farmer needs more land to make money than a farmer into crops. It will not be fair to charge the same tax.
“Some farmers are willing to pay the tax, but are concerned with the use of the tax. They expect authorities to pay attention to the repairing of roads. This has not been happening and now, some farm roads are not passable,” he said.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union president Mr Wonder Chabikwa concurred with Mr Kuipa and said the land tax was not fair.
“Some farmers have land class eight, which is mountainous with less arable space. It is unfair to treat a farmer in such an area uniformly with one in an area in class one which has good soils,” he said.
Mr Chabikwa said the tax should be used for developing infrastructure in the farming areas.
“Farmers fully support the idea behind the tax but the charges and use of the money is not fair. Farmers want schools, clinics and roads in the farming areas, but it appears the money is being used by the rural district councils to pay salaries,” he said.
Goromonzi West legislator, Cde Beatrice Nyamupinga recently urged Government to reconsider the land tax. “Some people were allocated land that is not 100 percent arable. For example, some were given 300 hectares with only 50 ha arable, and the other land is hilly and unsuitable for livestock.
“We hope the ministry will consider such types of land so that people will not end up farming and working just to pay taxes,” she said.