Support strategy for land reform

In an effort to provide effective,all-encompassing settlement support structure for land reform beneficiaries, the Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs finalised the two-year Settlement and Implementation Support (SIS) strategy in July last year. The support mechanism was made official on 18 February.
The strategy aims to offer a sustainable land reform process that incorporates a comprehensive provision of services including financial, technical and business support, health facility support and water and electricity support.
Together with the Belgian government, the department consulted with land reform experts and researchers over an 18 month period to develop the strategy. Issues that were raised were the challenges experienced so far by beneficiaries of 4 million hectares, including a lack of skills and resources. Minister of agriculture and land affairs Lulama Xingwana said that the SIS strategy was developed with concrete knowledge by studying post land-reform projects. The study involved robust engagement with land practitioners and consultative forums that brought together key provincial roleplayers responsible for supporting land reform projects.
“I want to appeal to all of you not to interpret the SIS strategy as ‘yet another concept’, but as the science of land reform,” Xingwana said. “The Land Summit, land reform beneficiaries and organised agriculture all expressed a need for such support.”
The strategy is punted as an opportunity for local and international organisations to follow Belgium’s example and support South Africa’s agrarian reform programme.
Xingwana said the successful implementation of the SIS strategy would “make a huge contribution towards the sustainability of the land reform projects.” – David Steynberg and Cornelia du Plooy