Staff Reporter
THE Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Calle Schlettwein, highlighted that the ministry has achieved a number of key milestones in land reform but stressed that there is still an urgent need to accelerate resettlement and enhance post-resettlement support measures.
“Land Reform remains a priority from both a political and an economic perspective. The skewness in land ownership has not been adequately addressed, and therefore the promise of correcting the wrongs of the past has not yet been fulfilled. Land ownership is one aspect; the productivity of the land is the second and equally important aspect that needs to be attended to. Resettlement must be sharply increased, and at the same time, post-resettlement support measures must be significantly improved to become meaningful,” Schlettwein said.
He made these remarks at the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform’s Management Review Workshop for Quarter Three of the 2024/2025 Financial Year, where he outlined several key achievements the ministry had accomplished during the third quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year.
Among these achievements was the successful negotiation with a farm owner for the acquisition of two farms in the Omaheke and Hardap regions, totalling 11,192.8065 hectares (ha), to facilitate the resettlement of landless Namibians who were previously disadvantaged. Schlettwein also highlighted the successful repatriation and resettlement of Batswana of Namibian descent at Gam Settlement as another major achievement of the ministry.
“Another important milestone achieved is the establishment of communal land for the //Khomanin People in the Khomas Region. This action ensures that the //Khomanin People have a piece of land on which they can fully and unhindered practise their traditions and customs. It is an important step in restoring some dignity to a disadvantaged group of Namibians,” he added.
Schlettwein also revealed that six beneficiaries from the Omaheke, Hardap, Kunene, Kavango East, Otjozondjupa, and Ohangwena regions have been resettled on Farm Ombindi Karambi No. 155 (Kunene Region), Farm Omkeer No. 204 (Otjozondjupa Region), and the remaining portion of Farm Kouwater No. 209 (Hardap Region). In addition, he disclosed that 416 lease agreements were monitored for compliance, 5,870 customary land rights were registered nationwide, 33 leasehold rights were registered and issued, and 64 illegal fences were removed.
