Zimbabwe Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube recently revealed that 535 local and foreign farmers who were affected by the land reform program have been approved for compensation.
During the land reforms initiated in 2000, approximately 4,000 white commercial farmers were stripped of their homes and land. The aim of the program, spearheaded by Zimbabwe’s former president Robert Mugabe, was to address the deep-seated inequalities in land ownership that originated during the colonial era.
In a meeting with diplomats on Wednesday, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube confirmed that the Zimbabwean government had approved compensation claims worth $548 million. Of this amount, $351.6 million is designated for 441 local farmers, while $196.6 million is set aside for 94 foreign farmers.
However, only a fraction of the total compensation, 1%, or $3.5 million, will be paid out in cash to local claimants. The remaining sum will be distributed in the form of treasury bonds. Foreign claimants, primarily from countries such as Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and several Eastern European nations, will receive an initial payout of $20 million, to be divided equally among them.
The land reform evicted white farmers who controlled most of Zimbabwe’s prime farmland. The violence led to the deaths, injuries, and assaults of both farmers and farmworkers, according to reports by Human Rights Watch.
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As a result of these farm seizures, Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector suffered severely, leading the country to rely on international aid. While the agricultural industry has seen signs of recovery in recent years, frequent droughts pose a significant challenge.
Compensation Breakdown: Land vs. Infrastructure
It is important to note that local farmers will not be compensated for the actual land lost. The Zimbabwean government maintains that the land was initially taken from the Black majority during colonial rule. Instead, compensation for local farmers will focus on infrastructure such as homes, irrigation systems, and other property improvements.
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However, foreign farmers covered by international treaties protecting foreign investments will receive compensation for the land and any infrastructure they lost.-ihRRE