Africa-Press – Botswana. The Secure Land Tenure (SLT) implementation is said to have not progressed as expected given that issuance of the titles is still at a mere two per cent.
Acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture Dr Edwin Dikoloti said this at the official opening of the 2025 National Land Pitso in Francistown on Wednesday, therefore highlighting the need for urgent action to improve the process of land registration and issuance of titles.
Dr Dikoloti said the theme; Shifting Lenses, Land for Economic Transformation, connected well with reforms introduced in land management, especially registration of customary grants, which through SLT was expected to unlock economical potential of the rural land masses.
He therefore pointed that the theme called for new pathways for the land sector to contribute meaningfully towards economic revival and transformation.
He said land as a foundation of human identity and the bedrock of economic activities, every sector from agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, mining and commerce depended on how effectively it was planned, allocated and used.
“As our population grows and development pressures increase, the need to manage land efficiently, equitably, sustainably and ethically has never been more agent than now,” he said.
He added that as the administration and management of tribal land was moved from dikgosi to land boards, the selection and appointments of members had over the years changed to the current arrangements.
In that regard, he emphasised that the Pitso therefore offered an opportunity to reflect on those changes in a bid to transform land administration to attain inclusive growth and quality lives, while building a deep economy that benefitted citizens.
Furthermore, Dr Dikoloti highlighted the importance of agriculture as a cornerstone of food security. He however said its potential was often constrained by fragmented land holdings, underutilisation of allocated ranches and ploughing field as well as aging farming population.
“Despite these challenges, government prioritised agricultural sector to transform the economy of the country,” he said.
Additionally, the acting minister called for a shift towards agriculture as the engine of growth, hence improved access to land for farming activities and enhanced land use planning to promote optimal use of land as they were key reforms.
Dr Dikoloti also pointed that while the call to expedite land allocation was legitimate, there had to be a move for productivity and every hectare of agricultural land must contribute to the national goal of food security and sovereignty.
The inaugural two-day National Land Pitso created a platform for social dialogues with the intention to provide a bridge for collaboration between government, private sector and communities, and a space of advocacy to influence reforms on land governance and equitable access.
It gathered various stakeholders such as ministers, dikgosi, land board chairpersons and the private sector, among others.
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