Land reforms open new opportunities for retirees

Sikhulekelani Moyo [email protected]

ZIMBABWE’S drive to issue title deeds is opening new opportunities for retirees to turn land into productive, income-generating assets, with Government seeking to unlock billions of dollars in land value through secure tenure.

The reforms are anchored on the Land Title Deed Programme, which seeks to convert about 360 000 land holdings currently held under offer letters, permits and leases into secure, bankable title deeds.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands and Rural Development, Professor Prosper Bvumiranayi Matondi, said the reforms could fundamentally change how Zimbabweans, including retirees, view land — as an asset that can generate wealth rather than simply a place to live or farm.

Addressing delegates at the 3rd Edition of the Retirement Conference in Mutare, Prof Matondi said retirement should not necessarily mark the end of economic activity, but could provide an opportunity to use land, pensions and financial capital to build sustainable income streams.

He encouraged retirees to consider high-value agricultural enterprises that can generate greater returns from smaller pieces of land.

“Our preference is that if most of you go into fish farming, I will be very happy as a Ministry because it gives us an opportunity to have more land available for redistribution while enabling you to generate higher productivity from smaller pieces of land,” he said.

Prof Matondi said the focus should be on productivity rather than the size of the landholding.

“The question is not necessarily about the size of the land. It is about productivity per unit of land. After retirement, you should be able to enjoy your pension and enjoy your money without having to sweat for it. Instead, you should allow the land asset and the financial capital investment that we are trying to unlock to sweat for you,” he said.

The Government’s land reforms are expected to strengthen this investment potential by providing landholders with more secure property rights and improving their ability to access finance.

Prof Matondi said fewer than 2 000 title deeds had so far been issued since the programme commenced in October 2024, but the pace was expected to accelerate as Government strengthens land administration systems.

“An important tool we have on our table is the Land Title Deed Programme, which we are rolling out nationally. We want to transform the 360 000 land holdings into title deeds,” he said.

“We are working as a whole-of-government to ensure that every stage of the process — from registration and surveying to valuation and conveyancing — is supported by a robust system that guarantees secure property rights.”

Government has already valued State agricultural land earmarked under the programme at approximately US$20 billion, Prof Matondi said, describing it as a significant national asset whose full economic potential had yet to be realised.

“If we secure that land and allow a variety of productive uses, we unlock enormous value for the economy while creating opportunities for Zimbabweans to realise their constitutional rights,” he said.

However, Prof Matondi stressed that Government’s objective was not simply to allocate land, but to ensure that it was used productively.

About 60 percent of allocated agricultural land remains underutilised despite being occupied, he said, highlighting the need to shift towards more productive and investment-oriented land use.

Government has promoted more than 7 000 agricultural joint ventures since 2018, which have contributed to increased agricultural production.

Prof Matondi said productive partnerships, supported by secure tenure and clearly defined contractual rights, would remain important in driving agricultural growth.

He also announced transitional arrangements under which existing offer letters are being converted into permits valid until December 31, 2027, giving beneficiaries time to regularise their tenure before title deeds are issued.

Historical occupation, investment and existing contractual rights would be considered during the transition, he said.

Government is also establishing integrated one-stop centres bringing together relevant ministries, local authorities and financial institutions to simplify access to land services.

Participating institutions include AFC Land Bank, AFC Commercial Bank, POSB, CBZ Bank and ZB Bank, with more financial institutions expected to join the programme.

Prof Matondi urged Zimbabweans to acquire land only through official Government channels, warning against informal and unrecognised land allocation systems.

He said Government’s long-term vision was to establish complementary small-scale, medium-scale and large-scale commercial farming models to accommodate different categories of farmers and investors.

For retirees, this could create opportunities to move beyond labour-intensive farming into commercially viable enterprises such as aquaculture, horticulture, livestock production and agro-processing.

The emerging land framework therefore offers retirees an opportunity to combine secure land rights with their financial resources to build productive assets and sustainable income.

As Government accelerates the Land Title Deed Programme, land is increasingly being positioned not simply as a place to settle, but as an asset capable of working for its owner.

For retirees, that could mean a new approach to retirement — less about stopping work and more about putting land and capital to work.