GMB set to boost grain reserves by 291 000 tonnes

based on 20 percent of the projected 1,5 million tonnes.
The country also expects to harvest a reasonable tonnage of small grains from the current season. In a statement, GMB board chairman Mr Charles Chikaura said this would enhance GMB’s capacity for sustainable drought mitigation throughout Zimbabwe.
Mr Chikaura said the GMB was currently supplying food to deficit areas, as directed by Cabinet.
“A total of 35 000 tonnes of maize has been moved to all rural food deficit areas. This programme is in response to a prolonged dry spell that negatively affected cereal production during the current agricultural season,” he said.
The GMB, he said, had also crafted a budget consistent with the implementation of the strategic plan and had been approved by the board of directors.
“The budget is expected to give support for a full strength SGR at the current stock level of 500 000 tonnes of maize and envisages recommendations to Government for an upward revision of the SGR stock level and related reserve fund.
“It will also be used for the capitalisation of Strategic Business Units with particular emphasis on agro-processing, farmer support services including input supply and commodity trading,” Mr Chikaura said. In another development, the GMB has mobilised a total of US$6,3 million in retrenchment packages for workers affected by a rightsizing exercise adopted last year.
“In February 2010, GMB embarked on a voluntary retrenchment programme, after an agreement was reached with the workers on the necessity of such a programme.
“To date 706 employees have gone on voluntary retrenchment out of a projected target of 2000. The aim is to create a leaner and effective organisation,” Mr Chikaura explained.
The rightsizing programme is expected to reduce staff costs, improve productivity, efficiency and effectiveness.
The programme is also expected to enable GMB to attract, motivate and retain skilled staff and competent professionals through competitive salaries. It is expected to give birth to improved industrial relations and serve as a statutory compliance (in terms of pension and medical aid contribution payments) while complying with the framework of corporate governance.
And also, consistent with the requirements of the recently introduced Corporate Governance Framework for State Enterprises and Parastatals, the GMB is moving towards establishing a commercial business culture, in full view of its core, strategic and social mandate of ensuring national food security.
“The GMB also aims to retain its strategic leadership role in supporting agriculture and agro-industry; with special focus on timeous payment to farmers for their produce and provision of efficient extension services,” Mr Chikaura said.
The GMB was established in terms of the Grain Marketing Act (Chapter 18:14) to ensure national food security through the creation and effective management of the strategic grain reserve. It also provides storage, handling and processing facilities for controlled products as and when so designated, importation and exportation of cereals and grains, as well as to intervene decisively to anticipate and, where necessary, manage national food emergencies.
The above parameters define the GMB’s overall strategic social mandate, which is executed under the strategic direction of the Government given through the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development. In the current liberalised economic environment, non-State actors and private sector stakeholders that intervene for humanitarian or commercial purposes in the country’s food provision sector complement the GMB.
“The parastatal’s new corporate strategy is envisaged to improve profitability of the commercial business, which will cross-subsidise the national food security and social mandate. GMB will continue to be the buyer of last resort providing a ready market for farmers for all grains,” Mr Chikaura said.