Mozambique: Nearly 350,000 hectares of land revert to State – AIM report

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Mozambique: Nearly 350,000 hectares of land revert to State – AIM report

4:08 CAT | 18 Aug 2022

File photo: Noticias

The Mozambican Ministry of Land and Environment has taken back, in the last 12 months, nearly 350,000 hectares of land which had been granted to users who then allowed it to lie idle.’

“In the period under review, 658 plots were inspected, corresponding to an area of 373,737 hectares, of which 348,535 will revert in favor of the State, due to non-compliance with the agreed land use plans” said the minister of Land and Environment, Ivete Maibaze.

The minister was speaking on Wednesday, in Mossuril district, in the northern province of Nampula, at the opening of a meeting of the Coordinating Council of her ministry, which is taking place under the theme “For sustainable management of the land against the impacts of soil degradation and climate change.”

According to Maibaze, the Government remains committed to strengthening the security of access, use and possession of land for all citizens, including communities, individuals and national and foreign investors.

“The land plays an important role in development processes, in productive and social actions, and in the mitigation of climate effects”, Mabaize said, adding that land is a scarce and precious resource, which should be distributed, managed and used in the interests of all generations.

Regarding the environment, the minister said that the soil erosion situation “continues to be an increasing concern.”

“From 26 critical areas of erosion recorded in 2006, the number has more than doubled, rising to 57 critical areas by 2022. This scenario, aggravated by the soil degradation situation, highlights the negative consequences of the fact that the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Soil Erosion (2008-2018) has not been effectively implemented”, she said.

Maibaze said that progress in the fight against drought and desertification can be achieved with the participation of all parties, including the government, public institutions, private business, research institutions, academia, and local communities.

“Respect for the nature in which we live is imperative at a time when we know that climate change is here to stay and we need to face it. It is time to put a stop to land degradation in our country”, the minister declared, stressing the importance of Land and Territorial Planning, Biodiversity Conservation, Climate Change, and Forest Management.

Source: AIM