By Sharon Chimenya
THE Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has assured the nation that it is fully prepared to tackle the potential impact of the El Niño-induced drought expected during the 2026/27 agricultural season.
The GMB has emphasised its commitment to safeguarding national food security in the face of climatic challenges.
Climate change continues to be a major driver of disaster risk in the region. Unpredictable rainfall patterns and frequent extreme weather events pose significant obstacles to sustainable development, threatening the progress achieved so far.
In response, the government has introduced robust agricultural strategies to ensure that drought seasons do not result in hunger for the nation, especially among vulnerable communities. Central to these efforts are the Strategic Grain Reserves (SGRs), which serve as a critical safety net during challenging times.
Strategic grain reserves serve as a buffer against food supply shocks and assist in maintaining food security during crises such as the predicted El Niño drought, ensuring that essential grains remain available to populations in need.
In an interview at the recently concluded GMB strategic review meeting held at a local hotel, Chief Executive Officer Dr Edson Badarai said that, just as in the 2024 season, the company is prepared for the next season.
He said the cumulative target for the reserves is 600,000 metric tonnes, which includes 150,000 metric tonnes for the 2025/26 season. They have already received 156,000 metric tonnes and are looking at 150,000 metric tonnes for winter wheat.
The company is targeting another 150,000 metric tonnes for the summer season and another 150,000 for the winter wheat season, bringing the total to 600,000 metric tonnes.
“We are prepared for the drought, and we want to assure the people of Zimbabwe, especially vulnerable communities, that we did it in 2024 and we will do it again. People should remain calm,” he said.
Dr Badarai also called upon farmers to practice agro-ecological tailoring, encouraging those in regions 4 and 5 to consider traditional grains, which are climate resilient.
He also said farmers should not worry about not growing maize, as they can swap their traditional grain produce for maize.
“We want to encourage farmers to support the Ministry in terms of agro-ecological tailoring. Because of the drought, they should focus on traditional grains unless they have irrigation that will fully support the crop,” he said.
“People should not worry about traditional grains because we have a grain swap arrangement. If you want maize and you have sorghum or another traditional grain, you can swap them one-to-one.”
Speaking at the same event, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Professor Obert Jiri, said that as a government, they want to make sure that the GMB is able to store as much grain as possible.
He said they also seek to see the GMB strengthen its logistics, intake processes, and payment of farmers.
“We want the GMB to ensure that they can take in as much grain as possible. Under our first pillar in response to droughts, we have set the minimum SGR at 600,000 metric tonnes, but nothing is stopping GMB from exceeding that. With the strategies developed over the past week, we hope GMB will emerge stronger, with strategies that strengthen our SGR as we enter the dry season,” he said.
“We want GMB to strengthen its logistics, intake, and farmer payment options, and enhance its capacity to pay farmers, so that the strategic grain reserves can be as strong as they should be.”
