Government committed to addressing land redistribution challenges: Schlletwein

WINDHOEK: Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Calle Schlletwein, said that the Revised National Resettlement Policy 2023-2033, shows the government’s commitment to addressing land redistribution challenges in a more coordinated, inclusive and transparent manner.

He told Parliament on Tuesday that the revision reminded the ministry of the importance of continual review of existing policies to ensure they remain responsive to the prevailing needs and expectations of the Namibian people.

‘Therefore, this revised National Resettlement Policy 2023-2033 presents a blueprint with which the government, aided by all key stakeholders and the citizens at large, can address the issues of efficiency, equity, transparency, tenure security, capacity building and agricultural production as fundamental elements of a progressive and inclusive National Resettlement Policy,’ Schlletwein said in a ministerial statement.

He said that the revision of the National Resettlement Policy 2001 started in 2016 and was broad
ened by the directives from the second National Land Conference, which took place in 2018.

Thereafter, the ministry convened regional and national consultative meetings to solicit further inputs into the policy.

‘The Revised National Resettlement Policy presents the government’s commitment to addressing land redistribution challenges that our country continues to battle in a more coordinated, inclusive and transparent manner.

Schlletwein said the policy targets resettling previously disadvantaged Namibians who do not own agricultural land or adequate agricultural land.

‘This is achieved under the reviewed policy by grouping the target beneficiaries into three main groups: commercial farmers on leased land in commercial or communal areas; communal farmers; and non-farming individuals,’ he said.

To ensure success, Schlletweein noted that the policy establishes three resettlement models, namely the high economic value model, the moderate economic value model, and the low economic value model.

He said that
the policy was already approved by Cabinet in May 2023 and has mandated his ministry and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology to publish it.

He added that his ministry is currently reviewing the resettlement criteria to be in line with the approved resettlement models in the revised policy.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency