Gwanda Correspondent

FARMERS in Matabeleland South have been urged to maximise production so that they could supply the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) with grain and ensure food security.

Speaking yesterday at the launch of the Matabeleland South Provincial GMB’s Best Farmer awards at the provincial GMB depot in Gwanda, Matabeleland South Minister for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde Abednico Ncube said the awards were aimed at promoting production of food crops and deliveries to the national granary.

“As you might be all aware the mandate of the GMB is to ensure national food security. For GMB to achieve this mandate food security has to be achieved firstly at household level. We are therefore appealing to all farmers and citizens with land to ensure serious utilisation of the land at their disposal. The Second Republic’s mantra is production, production and more production.

“These farmer awards are being introduced at a time when the whole nation is engrossed with the Climate Proofed Intwasa/Pfumvudza Presidential Inputs Scheme. The Intwasa programme is set to benefit 1,8 million households countrywide and currently more than 1,5 million have received their inputs. It’s meant to improve productivity and ensure food self sufficiency and surplus,” he said.

Cde Ncube said most farmers under Intwasa/Pfumvudza had completed digging holes in their plots and were in the process of applying fertiliser, planting and mulching. He said once farmers had produced their crops under the programme they were supposed to supply the maize to GMB. He urged farmers to put Intwasa/Pfumvudza inputs to good use to ensure food security at household level.

“I urge agricultural extension officers to work closely with farmers and train them on the proper use of these inputs. The launch of the GMB best farmer awards at the onset of the summer season is a strategy as we want farmers to be motivated as they embark on production in their fields. These awards are in sync with Government programmes such as the Intwasa/Pfumvudza Presidential Inputs Scheme and the Command Agriculture programme,” he said.

Grain Marketing Board (GMB) regional manager Mrs Podiso Mafa said the farmer awards which were being held for the first time this year will become an annual event. She said the event was aimed at appreciating farmers that supplied GMB.

“We are looking at the work being done by farmers, for us to be called GMB its because of their contribution. We realised that since GMB was established in 1931 which was then called the Maize Control Board we have never held a function to appreciate farmers that have contributed so much to our existence. This event that we are launching here today in Gwanda will now be held annually and we will be rotating across districts in the province.

“We will be holding this event together with Agritex and the local leadership in order to identify the farmer who would have contributed the most. Of the grain we get as GMB about 60 percent will be from farmers from communal lands, A1 small scale, commercial farming areas and resettlements while commercial farmers contribute 40 percent and we appreciate these small farmers for their contribution,” she said.

Mrs Mafa said in order to come up with the winners they looked at all seven districts in the province and identified the top three farmers who had contributed the most to GMB.

Mr Godknows Manokore, a farmer from Beitbridge won first prize and walked away with an animal drawn scotch cart after supplying GMB with 21 tonnes during the last farming season. Mr Thamson Lamula from Beitbridge was second and walked away with an animal drawn cultivator after supplying GMB with 6 tonnes while Mr Likani Sibanda from Bulilima who was third, walked away with an animal drawn plough after supplying GMB with 2 tonnes.

Speaking on behalf of the farmers that won, Mr Sibanda urged other fellow farmers to work very hard and supply GMB with grain as it was their duty as farmers to contribute towards food security. He said each farmer had a role to play towards filling the nation’s granary. — @DubeMatutu