   land reform in zimbabwe officially began in 1979 with the signing of the lancaster house agreement, an effort to more equitably distribute land between black subsistence farmers and white zimbabweans of european ancestry, who had traditionally enjoyed superior political and economic status. the government's land distribution is perhaps the most crucial and most bitterly contested political issue surrounding zimbabwe. it can be divided into two periods: from 1979 to 2000, where a principle of willing buyer, willing seller was applied with economic help from great britain and secondly, beginning in 2000, the fast-track land reform program. the programme's targets were intended to alter the ethnic balance of land ownership.sadc newsletter: eddie cross interview, see q2 as of 2013, every white-owned farm in zimbabwe had been either expropriated or confirmed for redistribution. ==background== the white farming population, originating from europe and south africa first arrived in southern rhodesia in the 1890s. in 1918, in in re southern rhodesia[1918] ukpc 78, [1919] ac 211, decided on 26 july 1918 the judicial committee of the privy council in london ruled that the land of southern rhodesia was owned by the crown and not by the british south africa company. ===legal situation in southern rhodesia=== after self-government was granted in 1923, the southern rhodesia house of assembly created a framework for the allocation of land. the land apportionment act of 1930 divided the colony's land into three areas characterised by tribes: zones where white, shona or ndebele could own property; and zones which were held in trust for indigenous peoples on a collective basis (called "tribal trust lands" per 1965 statute and "communal areas" per 1981 statute);. one effect of the apportionment was that some families were moved from land they had held for generations. the land apportionment act of 1930 formed the basis for subsequent laws and continued in effect until independence. ===land apportionment and acquisition by white farmers=== right|thumbnail|300px|land apportionment in rhodesia in 1965. the lack of individual title to land in areas designated as respecting t
Economic_history_of_Zimbabwe Land_reform Politics_of_Zimbabwe