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Land allocation countrywide will be distributed through three proposed models: high, moderate, and low economic values. 

These models or criteria are contained in the National Resettlement Policy of 2023 under review.

Governors, regional councils, and traditional authorities are meeting in Windhoek for the final, national validation workshop of the National Resettlement Policy of 2023.

According to the policy, land will be allocated by the high model, which will look at large-scale farming, moderate for medium-scale farming, and low will be for social welfare economic value.

The land will be allocated in accordance with citizens' needs and demands.

The revised criteria are part of the reviewed Resettlement Policy, which was approved after a discussion in the National Assembly and presented to the Land Reform Advisory Commission for scrutiny and regional consultations.

"So land redistribution is a high priority, and yes, it is sensitive to all Namibians. The overall objective of our land reform remains to correct the injustices of the past colonial regimes, both the German and South African Apartheid regimes. Namibians should see it as a fountain of peace and unity wherein our traditions and customs are anchored and through which our dignity is restored. To achieve those aspirations, these criteria are developed in such a way that land is allocated to satisfy a "needs-based redistribution". In other words, dispossessed communities must be treated preferentially and hence a 70:30 ratio," said Land Reform Minister Carl Schlettwein.

The policy aims to ensure that land acquired is fairly and equitably allocated and sustainably utilised to improve the quality of life of the beneficiaries.

The Resettlement Criteria further look at the youth, farm workers in corridors, sufficient land allocation, and correcting injustices of the past.

"The Resettlement Policy before the review had some shortcomings, and they are now addressed. Unintentionally, farm workers who had worked on farms acquired for resettlement were left homeless, and they needed to be accommodated. A programme for generational farmworkers is to do that. Further, some group settlements caused congestion and consequently rendered those farms unproductive. Unfortunately, poverty was perpetuated in both cases. Our view is to ensure people of different categories are all catered for in a balanced manner."

The allocation 70:30 ratio means that 70% of the resettlement beneficiaries must originate from the regions where the land to be resettled is located and 30% available to disadvantaged Namibians elsewhere.

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Selima Henock