Land tenure, agrarian structure, and comparative land use efficiency in Zimbabwe : options for land tenure reform and land redistribution

Proponents of land reform have called for expansion of the country"s post-independence resettlement program, while opponents emphasize the superior efficiency of large farms. After an introductory chapter and one on data sources, Chapter 3 of this report explores the historical evolution of land distribution in Zimbabwe; it explains the tenure categories in which land is held, and the system of land classification by agricultural potential, and examines the relationship between them. Chapter 4 reviews in greater detail the rules governing land access and use in the different tenure categories, the legal mechanisms for land reform, and the legal framework for resettlement of land acquired. Chapter 5 introduces the idea of a market-based land reform, evaluates the operation of the land market under the government program of land acquisition, and examines changes in the agrarian structure from 1990 to the present. In Chapter 6, the focus shifts to changes in land use patterns in the 1970s and 1980s, and the influence of market and nonmarket forces. Chapter 7 investigates rates of protection in the agricultural sector and the comparative advantage of selected commodities among sectors and regions. In Chapter 8, data on cropping patterns and land resource endowments are used to estimate rates of arable land utilization for crop production and grazing land utilization for livestock production. Chapter 9 analyzes various government policy options being legislated for land reform. Includes references. (Author abstract)