admin
Chronicle Reporter
THE Government has distributed 240 tonnes of maize, 330 of wheat and an undisclosed amount of rice through the Grain Markerting Board (GMB) to needy families in Matabeleland North Province.
Following erratic rains received in the province during the 2012/2013 farming season, most families in the province did not harvest anything.
Matabeleland North and South, Masvingo, Midlands and parts of Manicaland provinces are the worst affected by drought.
In an interview yesterday, Matabeleland North GMB provincial manager Mr Felton Kamambo said the maize and wheat received last week have since been distributed to the needy.
“Out of the 1 620 tonnes of maize allocated by the Government, we have received 240 tonnes. We have also received 330 tonnes of wheat following an allocation of 390 tonnes. We have distributed all the maize and wheat to almost all the districts in the province,” said Mr Kamambo.
He said they had already received rice which will be distributed to needy people in Lupane tomorrow.
Mr Kamambo said GMB was expecting the remaining consignment of the allocated food this week.
“We are expecting to receive more maize and wheat anytime this week and we will make sure that it is quickly distributed to the needy people in the province.
“We have been experiencing challenges in distributing the food to the distribution points but some members of the community have offered to assist with vehicles to transport the food,” said Mr Kamambo.
He said the food was being distributed in the presence of officials from GMB, the police and Agritex and committees from the communities to ensure transparency.
The Government recently imported 150 000 tonnes of maize from Zambia to cover the food deficit and delivery of the maize started at the beginning of last month.
The country, which requires about 2,2 million tonnes of maize annually, harvested just about 800 000 tonnes and the deficit has to be covered by imports.
The Government also unveiled a $161 million input support scheme for farmers in addition to $620 million that the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe and $100 million that CBZ has injected for the 2013/2014 agricultural season.
Online Reporter