Buying farmland in Zimbabwe

1. Know what kind of land it is

In Zimbabwe the same word — "farm" — covers land held in very different ways. What you can buy depends entirely on which kind it is.

• Freehold (title deed). Private land registered at the Deeds Registry. It can be sold, and the transfer is registered by a conveyancer.
• Land reform land (A1 and A2). State land allocated under an offer letter, permit or 99-year lease. In October 2024 the government said these would become bankable, registrable and transferable documents, transferable only among indigenous Zimbabweans, and put an indefinite freeze on new offer letters and leases.¹
• Communal land. Administered by traditional leaders and rural district councils. It is excluded from the new tenure documents¹ and cannot be bought and sold.
• Urban and peri-urban plots. Usually council or developer land — check the council's approved layout plan and that the developer is approved.

2. The title deed programme

The Land Tenure Implementation Programme is converting A1 and A2 offer letters, permits and 99-year leases into title deeds for about 384,000 farmers — around 360,000 A1 and 24,000 A2. Beneficiaries pay a price set by government valuation, and only individuals or spouses whose allocation is uncontested at the Zimbabwe Land Commission qualify. The target was to finish by 30 June 2026, but surveys were running well behind.²

3. Checks on any farm or plot

1. Search the title

   For freehold land, a search at the Deeds Registry shows the registered owner and any mortgage bonds. For land reform farms, confirm the allocation and its status with the Ministry of Lands.

   Document: title deed, lease or offer letter

2. Walk the boundaries

   Compare what is on the ground with the survey diagram. Find the beacons.

   Document: survey diagram

3. Check the water

   Boreholes, dams, river frontage and water rights. In a dry year, water is most of a farm's value.

   Document: water permit, borehole records

4. Check who is on the land

   Workers, tenants, relatives or anyone else living on or using the land. Settling this afterwards is slow and costly.

5. Check rates and arrears

   Ask the rural district council or city council for a statement of what is owed on the property.

   Document: rates clearance

6. Use a conveyancer

   Pay through a lawyer's trust account, not in cash, and only when transfer is ready to be registered.

   Document: agreement of sale, transfer

4. Leasing instead of buying

Many farms are leased rather than sold — for a season, or for several years. A lease needs to be in writing, say who pays for water, power and repairs, and — on land reform farms — be allowed under the holder's own terms.