Land reform in Namibia
Encyclopedia
Land reform is an important political and economic topic in Namibia
. It consists of two different strategies: resettlement, and transfer of commercially viable agricultural land. Resettlement is aimed at improving the lives of displaced or dispossessed previously disadvantaged Namibians. Farms obtained by government for resettlement purposes are usually split into several sections, and dozens of families are being resettled on what had previously been one farm. Transfer of commercial agricultural land is not directly conducted by government. Would-be farmers with a previously disadvantaged background obtain farms privately or through affirmative action
loans. In both cases, the "Willing buyer, willing seller" principle applies.
Namibia contains about 4,000 commercial farms. Almost 1000 of them have been obtained by previously disadvantaged Namibians since independence, some by means of private transactions, and some through government-facilitated loans. Until 2020, a further 15 Mio hectares of commercial agricultural land are to be transferred to blacks, a third of this area for resettlement purposes, two thirds for agriculture.
colonists and traders as the area was incorporated as German South West Africa. Namibia gained independence in March 1990. Upon independence, the country inherited a colonial division of land in which 3,500 farmers, who were almost entirely White
, owned approximately 50% of the country's agricultural land. These farmers constituted about 0.2% of the total national population. Land reform was one of the biggest reasons for many who participated in Namibia's liberation struggle.
, liberation movement leader SWAPO committed itself to "transfer[ing] some of the land from the few with too much of it to the landless majority".
From 1990 to 2007, an independent report said that the government had resettled approximately 800 Black farmers on land bought for redistribution. It was approximately 12% of commercial farmland in the country, or less than 1% per year.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
. It consists of two different strategies: resettlement, and transfer of commercially viable agricultural land. Resettlement is aimed at improving the lives of displaced or dispossessed previously disadvantaged Namibians. Farms obtained by government for resettlement purposes are usually split into several sections, and dozens of families are being resettled on what had previously been one farm. Transfer of commercial agricultural land is not directly conducted by government. Would-be farmers with a previously disadvantaged background obtain farms privately or through affirmative action
Affirmative action
Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
loans. In both cases, the "Willing buyer, willing seller" principle applies.
Namibia contains about 4,000 commercial farms. Almost 1000 of them have been obtained by previously disadvantaged Namibians since independence, some by means of private transactions, and some through government-facilitated loans. Until 2020, a further 15 Mio hectares of commercial agricultural land are to be transferred to blacks, a third of this area for resettlement purposes, two thirds for agriculture.
Background
Dispossession of land by European settlers from Africans began in the nineteenth century with the coming of GermanGerman Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
colonists and traders as the area was incorporated as German South West Africa. Namibia gained independence in March 1990. Upon independence, the country inherited a colonial division of land in which 3,500 farmers, who were almost entirely White
Whites in Namibia
White Namibians are people of European or Southern African birth or descent living in Namibia. Most white Namibians are Afrikaners, while some are descended from German, Portuguese, or English immigrants.- Distribution :...
, owned approximately 50% of the country's agricultural land. These farmers constituted about 0.2% of the total national population. Land reform was one of the biggest reasons for many who participated in Namibia's liberation struggle.
Post-independence
Prior to the first democratic election in 1989Namibian parliamentary election, 1989
Parliamentary elections were held in Namibia between 7 and 11 November 1989. These elections were for the Constituent Assembly of Namibia, which, upon independence in March 1990, became the National Assembly of Namibia.-Background:...
, liberation movement leader SWAPO committed itself to "transfer[ing] some of the land from the few with too much of it to the landless majority".
From 1990 to 2007, an independent report said that the government had resettled approximately 800 Black farmers on land bought for redistribution. It was approximately 12% of commercial farmland in the country, or less than 1% per year.
External links
- Ancestral land issue revisited New EraNew Era (Namibia)The New Era is a daily national newspaper owned by the government of Namibia. The newspaper is one of four daily national newspapers in the country. It publishes in English and five indigenous languages. New Era was established in 1991 as a weekly newspaper and later was published only bi-weekly....
, 19 July 2010