Zimbabwe's central bank chief wants white farmers back

Zimbabwe's central bank chief wants white farmers back

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By Staff Reporter

ZIMBABWE'S central bank chief has called on President Robert Mugabe's government to allow some white farmers back on to land seized for redistribution to blacks to help revive an economy on the brink of collapse.

More than three quarters of Zimbabwe's 4,500 white farmers had their properties seized under Mugabe's controversial land reform programme in the last five years.

In a lengthy post-election monetary policy statement published on Thursday, Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono said the country's future depended on boosting production in the critical agricultural sector.

The Zimbabwe economy has shrunk by more than 30 percent in the last six years, in tandem with the agricultural sector, which has been hit by drought and disruption of commercial farming.

Gono said that although some of the new black farmers were doing well on their farms, he was disappointed with the performance of others and the government should allow some of the skilled former white farmers to resume operations.

"Horticulture remains a strategic agricultural area in the country's economy, not only in terms of contribution to national productivity but also in terms of employment creation and foreign currency generation," he said.

"In order to ensure maximum productivity levels, there is great scope in the country promoting and supporting joint ventures between the new farmers with progressive-minded former operators ... as well as other new investors so as to hasten the skills transfer cycle," he said.

The new investors or skilled former white farmers would be given special dispensation and guarantees of uninterrupted productive tenure of five to 10 years, backed by government force to prevent any disruptions on the farms, he added.

Government officials were not available to comment on Gono's proposal - Reuters
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