04 Mar 2026

Parliament has on Monday approved a total budget of P5.322 billion for the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture for the 2026/27 financial year. 

Presenting the budget proposals, acting Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Dr Edwin Dikoloti, stated that the amount included P2.885 billion for development and P2.437 billion for the recurrent budget.

 Dr Dikoloti told Parliament that 44 112 plots were surveyed across the country during the 2025/26 financial year, out of which 12 416 plots had been approved, while the remaining 31 696 were currently undergoing examination and quality control. 

For the upcoming financial year, he said the ministry planned to commence surveying land parcels to facilitate private sector investment and socio-economic development.He highlighted a significant disparity in land documentation indicating that only 19 621 Secure Land Titles (SLT) had been issued against 68 190 plots captured through Registered General Plans. 

He explained that while production peaked at 7 655 titles in 2023/2024 following legislative amendments, output declined to 3 126 in 2025/2026, attributing the drop to budget constraints and outdated equipment, incomplete ICT integration as well as technical hurdles such as the mandatory registration of Certificates of Registered Title under Section 46 of the Deeds Registry Act.

 “To address this, a proposed amendment to waive this requirement for built-up areas is expected to unlock a large volume of pending titles. Additionally, under the Twelfth National Development Plan (NDP 12), the ministry will upgrade the Land Information System and the Integrated Geographic Information System (IGIS),” he said. 

Dr Dikoloti also announced plans for the Electronic Deeds Registration Systems Act, which would provide a legal framework for digital registration. “It is key to have the land registration system digitized to address not only systematic deficiencies but also the technical shortcomings associated with manual processes,” he said. 

Regarding land servicing, he noted that while the ministry used full and bulk servicing models, current liquidity challenges had necessitated a shift to minimal land servicing, which included bush clearing, access road construction and water trunk main installations for standpipe connections. 

Furthermore, he outlined ongoing projects for 2026/27 financial year which included Ghanzi Block 1-6 and Ghanzi Block 1, Botshabelo Infill and Metsimotlhabe Block 4 (Package 1), Mmankgodi-Tloaneng-Gabane Road and Sir Seretse Khama International Airport Special Economic Zone. Acknowledging the cultural importance of land, Dr Dikoloti said, “Land to a Motswana is a means of production, a family property, a source of identity and a capital asset to unlock potential.” 

Despite long waiting lists due to resource scarcity, the minister promised progress, saying 877 residential plots in Selebi Phikwe and Francistown would be allocated by the first quarter of 2026/27 while 212 residential plots (200 in Lobatse and 12 in Gaborone) were slated for allocation this fiscal year. 

On the Bonno Housing project, he said 168 hectares had been reserved for a potential yield of 150 000 residential units, with an additional 281.5 hectares reserved across all Land Boards for a further 15 872 plots. ENDS