The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Inge Zaamwani, has officially handed over allotment letters for resettlement farming units to generational farm workers who had previously grazed in the corridors of the Omaheke Region.
This landmark handover saw the government allocate two farms, divided into six units, to nine beneficiaries as part of the government's land reform programme.
The Ministry of Land Reform has acquired two farms in the Omaheke Region, totalling 11,026 hectares at N$28 million, as part of its 15-million-hectare land reform target.
On Tuesday, six of the eight new farming units are being handed over to nine beneficiaries, with the remaining two set to be allocated soon.
Among the recipients is 90-year-old Johannes Bernadus, the eldest beneficiary, who has long struggled to graze his livestock in the corridors of Omaheke after facing eviction in the past.
"The Ministry has set an ambitious target of 15 million hectares to be acquired, with five million hectares earmarked for acquisition through the National Resettlement Programme (NRP) and ten million through the Affirmation Action Loan Scheme (AALS). Since 1990, our redistributive land reform programme has seen the government actively acquire large-scale commercial farms in the freehold sector on a 'willing seller-willing buyer' basis. These farms are then carefully subdivided and allocated to small-scale farmers, empowering them to contribute to our nation's agricultural output and secure their livelihoods," said Zaamwani.
She emphasised that the allocation of resettlement farms will continue under strict scrutiny to ensure fairness and transparency. Zaamwani also issued a stern warning against corruption, favouritism, nepotism, and tribalism during the selection process.
"The government cautions the public that any individuals claiming to be generational farm workers or alleging eviction in order to unlawfully occupy corridors or with the intention to benefit from land allocations under false pretences will not be entertained. All allocations for land under this initiative will be rigorously scrutinised to ensure that only genuinely affected individuals who meet the established criteria will benefit from this programme. We must uphold the integrity of this process to ensure its success and fairness."
Omaheke Governor Pijoo Nganate expressed gratitude to the Minister of Agriculture for prioritising their region as the first to benefit from the initiative for resettlement farming units.
For the nine beneficiaries, this development means a fresh start, a chance to build a sustainable future, and an opportunity to reclaim their rightful place in the agricultural sector.