Land reform: Think tank urges govt to put jobs above political gain
Land ownership alone is no magic wand, and merely reshuffling land titles does not guarantee productivity or income.
“What truly drives output is the availability of water, infrastructure, extension services, biosecurity, financing and market access.”
The Economic Policy Research Association (Epra), referring to the new land bill’s proposed ban on foreign ownership of commercial land, warns that “it confuses symbolism with solutions.”
“The binding constraint in Namibia is unemployment. The central test for any policy must therefore be whether it expands formal employment and enterprise formation within the next electoral cycle. This is the test the land bill fails,” reads the in-depth, 60-page report compiled by experts in law, economics, business, risk, and financial management on the proposed foreign ownership ban.
At the same time, Epra urges the government to focus on productivity where poverty persists.
“Of crucial importance is that the government must also commit itself to measuring what truly matters.” The report stresses that evidence-based and rational policy choices – not emotional rhetoric driven by political gain – will determine whether land becomes productive capital or just another political flashpoint.
Epra argues that the total ban targets the asset itself rather than how it should be efficiently financed, managed, and linked to markets.
“This approach suppresses investment while doing little to secure returns, wages, or employment,” the report states.
It emphasises that Namibia needs investment, not uncertainty, with clear, contestable capital rules and open, competitive markets.
Epra notes that the foreign share of agricultural land is small, and punishing all foreign transactions would impose excessive costs on value chains and employment.
“Wealth is built, not decreed. Secure rights, research, logistics, finance, and skills drive modern agricultural success – not filters based on nationality.”
The association recommends that all general nationality-based prohibition clauses be removed from the bill, replacing them with objective approval criteria, clear deadlines, and appeal rights organised within a systematic code.
Another proposal involves targeted security measures, with ministerial approval retained only for exceptional cases, subject to transparent tests and written justifications. Safeguards should also be in place to prevent elite capture, with secure property rights serving as the first step in, for example, communal areas, to unlock credit and investment for farms.
The report also proposes neutral incentives such as fair land value taxation and penalties for underutilised land – applicable to all landowners regardless of tribe, political affiliation, gender, or race.
“Finance those making real progress by using land tax revenues to support expansion, water access, roads, and animal health.”
Epra also stresses accountability through data – tracking public outcomes and adapting quickly by replicating what works and halting what doesn’t.
The government should therefore choose transparency, competition, and open processes over discretion, quotas, and total bans, Epra recommends.
“It must prioritise job creation and productivity improvements over laws driven by political gain. That is how we generate economic growth. That is how we create more private-sector jobs. That is how we turn land into improved livelihoods and a dignified existence for all Namibians,” the association emphasised.
“What truly drives output is the availability of water, infrastructure, extension services, biosecurity, financing and market access.”
The Economic Policy Research Association (Epra), referring to the new land bill’s proposed ban on foreign ownership of commercial land, warns that “it confuses symbolism with solutions.”
“The binding constraint in Namibia is unemployment. The central test for any policy must therefore be whether it expands formal employment and enterprise formation within the next electoral cycle. This is the test the land bill fails,” reads the in-depth, 60-page report compiled by experts in law, economics, business, risk, and financial management on the proposed foreign ownership ban.
At the same time, Epra urges the government to focus on productivity where poverty persists.
“Of crucial importance is that the government must also commit itself to measuring what truly matters.” The report stresses that evidence-based and rational policy choices – not emotional rhetoric driven by political gain – will determine whether land becomes productive capital or just another political flashpoint.
Epra argues that the total ban targets the asset itself rather than how it should be efficiently financed, managed, and linked to markets.
“This approach suppresses investment while doing little to secure returns, wages, or employment,” the report states.
It emphasises that Namibia needs investment, not uncertainty, with clear, contestable capital rules and open, competitive markets.
Epra notes that the foreign share of agricultural land is small, and punishing all foreign transactions would impose excessive costs on value chains and employment.
“Wealth is built, not decreed. Secure rights, research, logistics, finance, and skills drive modern agricultural success – not filters based on nationality.”
The association recommends that all general nationality-based prohibition clauses be removed from the bill, replacing them with objective approval criteria, clear deadlines, and appeal rights organised within a systematic code.
Another proposal involves targeted security measures, with ministerial approval retained only for exceptional cases, subject to transparent tests and written justifications. Safeguards should also be in place to prevent elite capture, with secure property rights serving as the first step in, for example, communal areas, to unlock credit and investment for farms.
The report also proposes neutral incentives such as fair land value taxation and penalties for underutilised land – applicable to all landowners regardless of tribe, political affiliation, gender, or race.
“Finance those making real progress by using land tax revenues to support expansion, water access, roads, and animal health.”
Epra also stresses accountability through data – tracking public outcomes and adapting quickly by replicating what works and halting what doesn’t.
The government should therefore choose transparency, competition, and open processes over discretion, quotas, and total bans, Epra recommends.
“It must prioritise job creation and productivity improvements over laws driven by political gain. That is how we generate economic growth. That is how we create more private-sector jobs. That is how we turn land into improved livelihoods and a dignified existence for all Namibians,” the association emphasised.
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