The Herald, 30 March, 1980
THE Minister of Agriculture, Mr Denis Norman, hopes to introduce a “rehabilitation fund” to assist farmers who were forced off their land by the war to return to their normal farming operations.

He believes the country has a moral obligation to help those farmers, both black and white.
In an interview with The Herald yesterday, the minister said that although many farmers were paid compensation for their losses — “they still had to leave the land.”

Several months ago, when he was chairman of the Commercial Farmers Union, he felt some sort of “rehabilitation fund”, which could vary according to the circumstances should be set up.
“I believe that the costs should be borne by Government,” Mr Norman said.

He said he had thought up the idea himself and put it to the Ministry of Agriculture, which then passed it on to Treasury.

“I believe that we have an obligation to those who were virtually forced off the land.”
He said there were many farmers who would like to return to their farms, but after an absence of two or three years, they would have to start from scratch. Coupled with this was the increased costs of general farm expenses.

The fund would be able to help farmers in this case. It would only be used for those who want to return to their farms, and in no way would it affect any other land resettlement scheme.

The minister emphasised that the fund would not be a “general sort of compensation scheme”.
“I am looking at a rehabilitation plan for farmers — I am looking for something to re-gear agriculture with,” Mr Norman said.

Asked which farmers would benefit once the scheme came to fruition, the minister said: “In numbers, it will be mainly the African farmers, who will benefit.”

He said about 40 percent of the African Purchase Area farmers were affected by the war. They either seriously cut back their farm operations or left the land entirely.

“I cannot put a figure on this, but it (the fund) will benefit a considerable number of whites if it is introduced,” he added.

He stressed that it was purely an agricultural scheme, to make the land productive and to give the farmer a chance “to take his coat off, and get cracking — to have a chance in the new order of society — and I think he is entitled to that chance.”

LESSONS FOR TODAY
Agriculture is a key pillar of our economy, hence the emphasis on land ownership was and will continue to be a topical national issue.
Treasury has a role to play in ensuring that the agricultural sector is stable and productive by giving financial support.
Economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe have affected the farming communities the same way the war of liberation did.
Zimbabwe became the breadbasket of Africa soon after the First Republic attended to displaced farmers’ issues.
If the ongoing land audit programme is given adequate support, it will ensure that land is fairly distributed thereby ensuring productivity, which will lead to food security.

For historical information contact:
Zimpapers Knowledge Centre at Herald House on:
+263 8677 004323; +263 0242 795771
[email protected]

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