By NOEL IYOMBWA
LAND titling is a precursor to real agricultural development, employment creation, poverty and income inequality reduction and, environmental preservation, Party of National Unity and Progress (PNUP) president Highvie Hamududu has said.
Speaking in an interview, Mr Hamududu, a proponent of formalization of land ownership said that, once traditional land was titled, agriculture would automatically be transformed into a formal business activity.
“The country needs to title land, including land in our villages. The issue of engaging in agriculture on traditional land is an issue of informality which does not bring about growth, nor lift people out of poverty. Our people in the villages, the land they call ‘theirs’ must have the backing of the law so that our people in the rural areas are turned into business men and women; because, agriculture must be a business,” he said.
Mr Hamududu said the real foundation of agricultural transformation was hinged on two assets.
“What are the main assets of the real foundation? These are two: the people and the land. So, the first thing we must do is to title land if we are to transform agriculture in this country. It’s high time we addressed this elephant in the room which is land titling across the country,” Hamududu said.
He also said that, “If you want to run a company, what do you do first? You go and register the company and get the certificate of incorporation. If you buy a car, you have a blue book. If you buy a gun, you have a license. Now land which is more important has got no papers? Hence the poor agriculture, poverty and inequality in our rural areas because, you can never develop under an informal path”.
He called on the citizenry, government and their royal highnesses to have a serious conversation and confront the issue of land titling as a precursor to broad based economic empowerment, employment creation fight against poverty and inequalities and, environmental preservation.
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