The Land Grab Failure
Resettled areas in a state of disaster

25^th May 2003

IN what could be an admission of the failure of the much-touted land reforms to alleviate food shortages, President Robert Mugabe has declared a state of disaster in all resettlement areas.

In a government gazette released on Friday, Mugabe noted that there was widespread food insecurity and the risk of water shortages, not only in the resettlement areas, but in communal and urban areas as well.

He also declared a state of disaster in Matabeleland South where livestock were vulnerable to the effects of drought.

The declaration paves way for funds to be harnessed and channelled to the areas, and for donors to assist the affected people but it is feared that very little money would be raised because the government is broke and many donors have fled from Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe plunged into turmoil after government-backed farm invasions led by so-called war veterans destroyed the commercial agriculture sector from 2000.

Widely condemned, both at home and internationally, the fast-track land reform exercise that followed spelt doom to the country's prospects as rich farm lands were grabbed by Zanu PF cronies with little or no farming experience.

Zimbabwe Standard