adminGrain import scheme for deficit areas
Agriculture Reporters
ZIMBABWE is in a serious food deficit with 215 000 tonnes of maize in stock against a national requirement of 1,2 million tonnes annually.
There are only 38 000 tonnes of wheat in the reserves and the Government would have to import both maize and wheat to cover the deficit.
Acting Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Ignatius Chombo yesterday said merchants would be allowed to import maize, maize-meal and flour to feed the nation.
Those without capacity to feed themselves would be covered by the grain loan scheme, the minister said.
Under the scheme, the vulnerable would get a 50kg bag of maize monthly until the next harvest.
“There is no vetting and what is required is just for the beneficiary to approach the Grain Marketing Board,” he said.
“Those who are able-bodied and do not want to join the grain loan scheme can join the food-for-work programme where one works for 15 days a month and receives some grain.”
Minister Chombo said projects for the food-for-work programme had been identified and the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development was waiting for Finance Minister Tendai Biti to release funds.
He said the grain loan scheme was being hampered by the shortage of transport and funds to pay transporters ferrying grain from areas of supply to areas of deficit.
GMB owes transporters US$4,4 million for grain that was delivered to areas with a deficit during the past three months. Minister Chombo said shortages of grain bags had affected the movement of grain under the scheme.
“Minister Joseph Made and GMB general manager Mr Albert Mandizha have been pestering Finance Minister Biti over the need to capacitate GMB to
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