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In a shift toward digital governance, Zimbabwe has launched a Digital Land Administration Platform (DLAP) that allows farmers and landowners to apply for title deeds entirely online. This new system, designed to modernise land documentation, is expected to cut through bureaucratic red tape, reduce fraud, and bring long-overdue transparency to land ownership processes.
The platform arrives as a major reinforcement to President Mnangagwa’s ongoing programme, initiated in March, to issue title deeds to beneficiaries of the Land Reform Programme. For many farmers, this initiative is not just administrative it represents security, economic empowerment, and access to finance. By transforming land tenure into legally recognised ownership, it unlocks the potential for bankability and structured agricultural investment.
What once required a physical journey to Harare or regional ministry offices can now be done with a WhatsApp message or an email. The Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs officially introduced the system through a Government Gazette, detailing a dual pathway for registration either through traditional manual methods or via the new digital interface. Farmers can now submit applications, pay fees, and track progress without ever leaving their homesteads.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, in the gazetted regulations, emphasised that the DLAP will process deeds and documents electronically and will be available as a fully functional alternative to in-person applications. Alongside this rollout, a nominal fee structure for online services has also been introduced, creating clarity and predictability for applicants.
For farmers, the shift to digital couldn’t have come at a better time. Professor Obert Jiri, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, revealed that over 5,000 farmers had already visited physical offices seeking clarity on the deed issuance process. With the new system in place, these visits and the travel costs they entail—can now be avoided altogether.
The DLAP is more than just a convenience tool; it’s a signal of a broader transformation in how government services can be delivered in a digital age. By allowing farmers to secure their land rights from their homes, the platform not only protects valuable documents but also affirms the state’s commitment to digital inclusion.
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