Harare, (New Ziana) – In a major push to enhance grain delivery and national food security, the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has opened 1 804 mobile collection centres across all wards in the country.
In a statement, GMB chief executive officer Dr Edson Badarai said the move is set to ease grain delivery for farmers and streamline operations in partnership with the Department of Agricultural, Technical and Extension Services in Zimbabwe (AGRITEX) and local leadership.
“The collection centres shall be at the ward centres used for Presidential Inputs Scheme and Social Welfare collections,” he said.
Dr Badarai said farmers who benefitted from the Presidential Inputs Scheme are expected to deliver 10 kilograms of grain to the GMB as part of efforts to establish a local Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR).
He said in addition to the mandatory delivery, farmers are encouraged to take any surplus grain to the collection centres, which will be accepted for marketing through the GMB.
The GMB will also facilitate a grain swap system at the mobile centres, an initiative that allows farmers to exchange traditional grains such as millet, sorghum, and rapoko, for maize, or vice versa, depending on household or market needs.
Furthermore, the GMB is in the final stages of establishing a comprehensive input delivery mechanism for farmers who either pre-purchase or choose to use sales proceeds or warehouse receipts to acquire farming essentials like seed, fertilisers, and agro-chemicals.
Dr Badarai reaffirmed GMB’s role as the buyer of last resort and extended gratitude to the nation’s farmers for their ongoing dedication and contribution to the march toward food self-sufficiency.
“We remain committed to supporting our farmers and ensuring that every household plays a part in strengthening our national food reserves,” he said.
The latest development signals a renewed focus on decentralising grain marketing operations, promoting agricultural productivity, and reinforcing the country’s resilience in the face of climate change and global food supply challenges.
New Ziana
