Zimbabwe to return land seized from foreign farmers

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

Zimbabwe to return land seized from foreign farmers

1 September 2020

Zimbabwe has offered to return land to foreign nationals whose farms were seized under a controversial government programme two decades ago.

Thousands of white farmers were forced from their land, often violently, between 2000 and 2001.

The seizures were meant to redress colonial-era land grabs but contributed to the country's economic decline and ruined relations with the West.

A separate compensation scheme has been launched for local white farmers.

They have not been offered land, but the government last month promised them $3.5bn (£2.6bn) for seized infrastructure.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53988788

[Vogon_Glory]

1. Some of these "foreigners" were probably locals who

were forced out during a Mugabe-era land grab.

At the risk of offending the keepers of the holy flame and guardians of purity, I believe that land reform is one thing—at least if it is given to knowledgeable farmers with the grit and skills to work the land. But to hand it out willy-nilly to political hacks with no farming experience is asking for farm-sector ruin—which is what happened in drought-prone Zimbabwe.