By Rebeccah Zindati
Harare, (New Ziana) -The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has been commended for maintaining strong intake systems and infrastructure that continue to anchor efforts to attain food security for the country.
Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Prof Obert Jiri said made the commendation last week after touring the GMB Aspindale Depot to assess operations and the efficiency of grain intake as the 2025 marketing season progresses.
He praised the institution for ensuring that maize and other grains are received, tested, and stored under strict quality control procedures.
Samples are checked for impurities and grading before offloading, guaranteeing that only clean, suitable produce is admitted into the national reserves.
“The liberalization of grain marketing had given farmers more flexibility in choosing where to sell their maize, GMB remains a critical player. The parastatal is the main receiver of grain produced under government-supported schemes, including the Presidential Inputs Program and the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA),” he said.
To date, ARDA alone has delivered over 37 000 metric tons to GMB depots while community-led initiatives, such as the “10 kg for kombucha” scheme, have also bolstered national reserves with Jiri stressing that timely payments to farmers were essential to encourage increased deliveries to depots.
“As more farmers receive their payments, the volumes are expected to rise significantly. This strengthens not only household incomes, but also national reserves and food security,” he said.
On maize imports, Jiri confirmed that Zimbabwe has closed its borders to grain imports for the current season in order to protect local producers, recalling that past drought seasons, worsened by El Niño, had forced the country to import maize from South America and China.
With current stocks improving, Jiri said government policy is to prioritize domestic production and only open borders once local harvests have been fully absorbed.
Meanwhile, preparations for the 2025/26 summer cropping season are underway under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa program with the government having started moving agricultural inputs including seed and fertilizer to GMB depots to support over three million households.
Each household will receive inputs for three plots, with priority given to farmers who delivered “appreciation grain” in the last season.
“The distribution of inputs demonstrates government’s commitment to strengthening resilience among smallholder farmers, boosting productivity, and safeguarding food sovereignty,” said Prof Jiri.
GMB officials echoed Jiri’s sentiments, confirming the stability of intake systems and the efficiency of warehouse operations, noting that drivers wait while grain samples are analyzed before being cleared for delivery, a process that ensures that poorly produced maize is filtered out and only high-quality grain enters storage.
With farmers already beginning land preparations under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa program, the government anticipates a strong cropping season supported by improved input availability.
Authorities say the measures are part of a broader strategy to cushion the agricultural sector from climate shocks and global market fluctuations while ensuring stable supplies of staple grains.
Jiri said Zimbabwe’s grain marketing and input distribution policies remain central to sustaining national food reserves, strengthening farmer confidence, and advancing the country’s agricultural transformation agenda.
New Ziana
