Zimbabwe told to compensate white farmers

Harare, 11 Dec-(ANA)-The catastrophic collapse of the Zimbabwean economy can be reversed if its Government adopts the controversial recommendations of a wide-ranging recovery programme, according to its authors.

The independent report, published by The Brooks World Poverty Institute at The University of Manchester, urges the Inclusive Government to set aside cash to compensate the mainly white farmers who lost their land.

It will be launched by Dr Tendai Biti, Zimbabwe Minister of Finance at a public lecture at The University of Manchester on 11 December.

Such an approach, say the Zimbabwean authors, will bring closure to a sore chapter in the country’s history and if done well and fairly could kick start investment in different areas of the economy, promoting economic recovery.

The February 2000 programme which redistributed land to the majority black Zimbabweans is recognised as a major factor which triggered an unprecedented socio-economic and political crisis, slashing the country's life expectancy to 35 -among the world's lowest.

Hyperinflation topped 500 million per cent in July 2008 and in March this year unemployment was still estimated at 80 per cent while more than 72 per cent of the population lived in abject poverty surviving largely on food handouts.

The report argues for an agriculture led recovery and a reconstruction programme with a focus on smallholder farmers. (ANA)

FA/ANA/11 December 2009---