42 By mid 2003, 135 000 smallholder households and small to medium commercial farmers had benefited from the programme4. Between 2000 and 2003 the land redistribution process gave rise to numerous social and political conflicts on the farms and elsewhere. Some standing crops, livestock, equipment and other property were lost or affected through theft and grabbing by some opportunists. In general, the land reform process has been mired in various implementation irregularities and the misapplication of policy in some aspects5. This situation, coupled with the frequent droughts during the implementation period, inadequate capacity and resource constraints of the new farmers and other external factors, contributed to a decline in agricultural production that impacted significantly on the overall economy. However, between 1980 and 1999 Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector grew steadily, albeit slowly. The country was generally self sufficient in food production, although there were some imports, especially during drought periods. During the 1990s agriculture was increasingly liberalised, with agricultural pricing and marketing being decontrolled. Greater incentives led to the growth of diversified traditional and non-traditional commodities. The cry for land continued. Land reforms of a gradual type were initiated from 1980 up to 1996. Government was unable to meet its targets for the land to be acquired for distribution due to the weaknesses of the Lancaster Constitution, escalating land prices, inadequate external funding of the programme, and poor cooperation from the former large scale commercial farmers. This resulted in sporadic “illegal” land occupations which sought to redress the land imbalances. 6.2 BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES Our point of departure in any discussion about the land is the recognition that land is a gift from God. Human existence is inextricably bound to the land, which means that without land there can be no human existence. Every people must have a piece of land that they can call their own if they should exist at all. It is that means that God created and gave to human beings together with everything that is in it to sustain all life (Gen. 1:25 – 30). It is a gift to everybody irrespective of their ethnic background, political or religious affiliation, gender or race. This means that everybody by virtue of their being a child of God is entitled to a piece of land for shelter and as a means of livelihood. We are dealing with a fundamental human rights issue. The use of race, gender, religious or political affiliation as criteria to deprive another person or group of their right to land is contrary to the will of God, and is a clear manifestation of human alienation from God and from one another as a result of sin. 4 PLRC (2003) Presidential Land Review Committee Report, Chaired by Dr. C. Utete, Government of Zimbabwe, Harare: Government Printers. 5 PLRC. (2003) op cit.