South Africans, both black and white, are passionate about the issue of land ownership and the importance of finding sensible and timely solutions to problems surrounding land redistribution and reform cannot be underestimated.

At the end of 2002, more than 36 000 land claims were settled, benefiting 437 000 claimants. However with less than 2% of land having changed hands from white to black owners, the government falls far short of its goal to redistribute a third of white owned agricultural land by 2015.

While the ACDP supports the department of land affairs in its endeavours to find fair and reasonable solutions to issues surrounding land restitution, the powers given to the minister of agriculture and land affairs by the Restitution of Land Rights Amendment Bill to expropriate land for restitution are a cause for concern. The cooperation of farmers is essential to land reform and this heavy-handed approach does not auger well for a united and productive South Africa. Instead, creating opportunities and support for emerging farmers, while also valuing efforts of existing commercial farmers will ensure wealth creation and not a poverty trap for all.

The truth is that land reform targets will only be met if increased funds are made available. R1.7 billion per annum will be needed for land transfer payments alone, which is the full annual Land Affairs budget and the treasury urgently needs to reassess the allocation for land reform in light of the necessary targets set and the progress to date.

South Africa needs to focus not simply on acquiring farms and making them available, but determining how the land should be used. We need to discern the difference between the need people have for homes from the need emergent farmers have for farms. The majority of people simply need to take ownership of homes with water, sanitation, education and other services important to supporting and developing strong, healthy families. In the nature of things, these services exist in towns and cities.

Emergent farmers need technical and marketing assistance, irrigation schemes and agricultural skills along with security of tenure and ownership of land, and the long-awaited draft Communal Land Bill will address urgent land tenure problems in the fertile 'homeland' areas. Conditional subsidies should also be considered while South Africa waits for other countries to level the playing fields.

South Africa is one of seven net food exporters in the world in spite of shallow soil and low rainfall, due to the tremendous skills accumulated, agriculturally and industrially. This major source of foreign exchange is an asset, which should be valued and protected.