Approach DA’s offices for transport assistance, Machaya urges farmers

MINISTER of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs Jason Machaya has urged farmers who are still battling transport woes to take their Command Agriculture and Presidential Input Support Scheme produce to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to organise themselves and put their maize at one point for easy transportation.

Minister Machaya’s call came amid revelations that hordes of farmers from remote areas across the Midlands province were still stuck with their produce, as they were failing to ferry the maize to GMB satellite depots due to bad road network.

In some areas like parts of Mberengwa and Gokwe North, there is no road network after roads were destroyed by Cyclone Dineo induced floods early this year. “There are areas with very bad road network, so we urge villages in such areas to approach their District Administrator’s Office and find one place to pile their tonnage together so that they can get assistance in terms of transport,” said Minister Machaya.

He said the province had introduced GMB satellite depots so that farmers could easily deliver their maize.

Chief Maziofa of Mberengwa said most farmers from his area were struggling to take their produce to the district’s GMB depot at Mataga Growth Point due to bad road network. He said some farmers were now “dumping” their maize at his homestead, hoping they would get assistance to take their produce to GMB.

“Our GMB deport at Mataga Growth Point is very far from most of the resettled farmers,” he said. “There is no road network in the resettlement areas so most farmers are still stuck with their produce.

“Some are making an effort to take their maize to my homestead, but I am also overwhelmed. It seems they are now dumping their produce at my homestead and expect me to act. My fear is that if rains come, this effort by farmers will have gone to waste.” Chief Chireya of Gokwe North said the leadership should quickly intervene and assist villagers in inaccessible areas to take their produce to GMB.

“Rains left a trail of destruction here and most farmers are struggling to take their produce to GMB,” he said. “We need assistance.”