Govt unveils grain loan scheme

200kg of grain from the Grain Marketing Board for the next four months. GMB general manager, Mr Albert Mandizha, said the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development would compile the list of those eligible to get the grain.

He was giving oral evidence before a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Water, Lands and Resettlement chaired by Chikomba Central MP, Mr Moses Jiri (MDC-T).
Chipinge East MP, Mr Mathias Mlambo (MDC-T) had asked what role district administrators were playing in the distribution of grain.

“There is a grain loan scheme starting from January where each household experiencing food shortage will be allowed to collect 50kg per month for the next four months,” said Mr Mandizha.
“It was felt that there was need to separate roles, that is what came out from Cabinet. The Ministry of Local Government would compile the list and we should give people food from the approved list.”

He said GMB was not allowed to distribute the grain under this facility outside the model directed by Cabinet. Beneficiaries under this scheme, he said, were supposed to pay back the grain after harvesting. Legislators also asked him to comment on reports that some grain dealers were importing maize only to sell it to the GMB whose producer price is higher than the price of grain in the region.