Harare, (New Ziana) – Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Prof Obert Jiri, on Tuesday issued a stern warning against land barons as the Government transitions into the full implementation of the Land Tenure Title Deeds programme.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa officially launched the land tenure programme in 2024. Through the system, and after surveying the land, title deeds will be issued to more than 23,000 A2 and 280,000 A1 farmers, granting them full ownership of the land.
Addressing the media at an interactive session in Harare, Prof Jiri reiterated that communal land is not for sale.
“Beneficiaries must not bypass the legal channel to get the title deeds. There are land barons who are bent on fleecing land seekers through the system, and I would like to warn them and other sub-dealers that they will always be brought to book. Communal land is not for sale. Purchasing communal land for any price is illegal. The land belongs to the President and cannot be titled. Those who enter into such deals will lose their investment for nothing,” he said.
He added that no individual, traditional leader, or middleman has the authority to subdivide or sell agricultural land.
“Only two authorities, that is the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development (for agricultural land) and the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works (for urban/residential land) can legally offer land,” he emphasized.
In recent years, some beneficiaries of the land reform programme have struggled to access credit or make investments on their farms as they did not have bankable land ownership documents. Prof Jiri said this could now be a thing of the past, as some banks are accepting the title deeds as collateral.
“The biggest breakthrough in 2026 is the total acceptance of title deeds by the banking sector. Five major banks are now physically stationed at the programme’s One-Stop Centre in Harare. These banks have vetted the new deeds and now accept them as collateral after confirming that they meet set standards.
“Farmers can finally secure loans for tractors, irrigation, and high-tech equipment. The land is now private property that can be legally transferred or inherited, creating lasting generational wealth. This is no longer just about farming for food; it is about farming as a business,” he said.
New Ziana
