Namibia’s land resettlement programme faces slow progress and implementation hurdles
Namibia’s National Resettlement Programme is acquiring land, resettling farmers, and attempting to address decades of colonial-era dispossession. Yet its progress remains slow, measured in years rather than months, and implementation challenges threaten to leave many still displaced.
The government had acquired 590 farms covering 3.5 million hectares by 2024, at a cost of N$2.5 billion, and resettled nearly 5,500 previously disadvantaged Namibians. The updated 10-year policy (2023–2033), approved in February 2024, now stresses equity, transparent allocation, and tailored support for beneficiaries with varying needs. Still, the divide between policy and execution remains significant.
The programme’s main objective is to transfer commercial agricultural land to emerging farmers—those with no more than 150 Large Stock Units (LSU) or 800 Small Stock Units (SSU)—while excluding established commercial operators. Applications are evaluated by Regional Resettlement Committees based on factors like gender, farming experience, generational ties to agriculture, and financial stability. Priority goes to generational farm workers and those displaced from overcrowded communal areas.
In the 2023/24 financial year, only seven farms (33,822 hectares) were acquired for N$91.4 million, and just 23 beneficiaries were resettled. The cost per farm is high, as commercial land requires investment in water, fencing, housing, and infrastructure before becoming productive. Without increased funding or faster acquisition rates, redistribution will continue at a sluggish pace.
Transparency and fairness undercut land redistribution
Even when land is allocated, long-term success is uncertain. Many beneficiaries lack working capital, livestock, machinery, or market connections. Government reviews highlight weak pre- and post-settlement assistance, low agricultural output, and insufficient oversight. In a drought-prone country, these shortcomings pose serious risks. The programme must balance social justice with economic feasibility, allocating farms without adequate support risks perpetuating poverty, while excluding the most vulnerable contradicts its core mission.
Transparency issues further undermine the effort. While the revised policy includes clearer rules, reports indicate some allocated farms remain unused, raising fairness concerns. In the //Kharas Region, local stakeholders claim farming units were given to beneficiaries from other regions who never took possession, leaving long-standing applicants still waiting. Without public explanations for allocation decisions, public trust declines.
The updated policy recognizes that not all beneficiaries have identical needs. The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform categorizes emerging commercial farmers, communal producers, and vulnerable households requiring social protection. Each group faces distinct obstacles: commercial operators need credit, equipment, and market access, while communal producers often rely on shared land and traditional practices. Vulnerable households, however, may need immediate help, such as housing, water access, and basic livestock to prevent further exclusion.
Lack of oversight leaves programme’s success unmeasured
Oversight remains a critical shortcoming. The revised policy requires tracking farm output, household income, and land conditions, yet no public data exists on whether beneficiaries meet production targets or if allocated farms remain productive. Without this information, the government cannot determine if resettlement achieves its goals of social justice and economic stability. Reports from the //Kharas Region suggest some allocated farms lie unused, questioning whether decisions align with stated criteria. Clearer transparency on occupancy and reasons for non-occupation could rebuild trust, but current monitoring lacks the necessary rigor.
Climate risks add another layer of concern. Namibia’s drought-prone conditions worsen challenges for emerging farmers, who often lack resources to adapt. The policy acknowledges this but does not detail measures like water storage, drought-resistant livestock, or diversified income sources. Without these protections, beneficiaries remain exposed to losses that could reverse the programme’s intended gains. The high cost of leasing grazing land, between N$19,500 and N$28,500 monthly for 150 cattle or N$16,000 and N$64,000 monthly for 800 small stock, further strains emerging farmers’ ability to meet resettlement requirements. These financial pressures create a paradox: applicants cannot afford livestock while waiting for land, yet the programme demands proof of existing herds.
