Land tenure security vital

ELLANIE SMIT



WINDHOEK

Achieving land tenure security is vital to improve livelihoods, reduce environmental degradation and increase investments in land.

Land is a valuable resource, a factor of production that links the social, legal, environmental and economic foundations of a country, said agriculture and land reform minister Calle Schlettwein.

He was speaking at the launch of the Structured Knowledge Base on Responsible Land Administration.

He said land is a most valuable - but finite - resource, which is currently not equitably shared.

According to him, land reform is intertwined with historical, political, constitutional, legal, economic, traditional and ancestral rights issues and is currently a complex and sometimes contentious issue.

“It is indeed a matter that concerns and impacts every citizen,” he said.

He added that the ministry, as the direct implementor of land reform in Namibia, must have a solid skill and knowledge base to meaningful and fairly implement this complex reform.

“Therefore, our support is vital for capacity development in land administration and related fields.”

Schlettwein said the need for capacity and skills development in this area is growing.

Essential

“If not already urgent when one considers the urgent increase in urban population and related economic developments, which increase not only the demand for land, but the pressure thereon as well.”

He said improved land administration systems are essential for achieving national developmental goals with respect to poverty reduction, improved access to services and reduced land degradation.

“I believe land administration systems can further reduce land conflicts and improve tenure security. For any institution, most importantly those implementing land administration-related activities, there will be a need for specialised expertise to guide and support improved land governance and enhance the existing legal and institutional frameworks.”

He further said it would not be accurate to say that Namibia does not face challenges with respect to land.

“However, stakeholders at local and national level are actively working to address these through implementation of various urban and rural land reform programmes.”

Schlettwein said in the urban context, the flexible land tenure system has reached advanced stages of implementation.

He added that within rural areas, communal land registration has improved tenure security and enhanced access to investment in land through the registration of leasehold.