GMB Introduces Best Farmer Awards

From left GMB’s Regional Manager, Mrs Podiso Mafa, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution-Matebeland South Honourable Abednico Ncube and the Best Farmer, Mr Godknows Manokore.

THE Grain Marketing Board (GMB) recently launched Provincial Best Farmer Awards that are aimed to honour farmers that would have delivered highest tonnage of grain to the national granary. GMB’s Chief Executive, Mr Rockie Mutenha, said the awards were also meant to promote health competition among farmers in line with the Government’s emphasis on increased agricultural production to spur economic revival.

“We hope that these awards will go a long way in improving the farming methods through the mechanical equipment that will be received. “Historically more than 60 percent of GMB deliveries come from communal and A1 farmers, a constituency which we want to thank most profoundly. “The launch of our awards also resonate well with the Government’s thrust of making agriculture the mainstay of the economy.

The recently launched economic blueprint, the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which succeeds the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) is meant to improve and stabilise the economy, ensure prices for goods and services are market related by growing our own raw materials,” said Mr Mutenha. He added that he hoped that the farmers that receive awards this year will continue contributing to the national cause of food self-sufficiency.

From left GMB's Chief Executive, Mr Rockie Mutenha, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution-Mashonaland Central, Honourable Monica Mavhunga and Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Settlement, Honourable Anxious Masuka, Best Farmer, Mr Nezias Mupona (Concession Depot) and the Acting Operations Director, Mr Alex Muzambi.

Speaking in Gwanda at the handover function of Matebeleland South GMB’s Best Farmer Awards, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Abednico Ncube urged farmers to utilise land at their disposal so that they ensure food security for their households first and then the nation at large. “The GMB’s Best Farmer Awards are aimed at promoting production of food crops and deliveries to the national granary-the GMB. 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 utilization of the asset (the land) at their disposal,” he said.

Minister Ncube said the GMB Best Farmer Awards were introduced at a time the whole nation was engrossed with the Climate Proofed Pfumvudza Presidential Inputs Scheme. The Pfumvudzaprogrammetargetted to benefit 1, 8million households country wide. Under the Pfumvudza concept, the beneficiaries will be required to practise conservation agriculture. This is meant to improve productivity and ensure food self-sufficiency and surplus.

Minister Ncube also thanked GMB for coming up with these awards. “Let me thank the GMB Board and management for coming up with these awards. I have no doubt that health competition is being encouraged among our farmers through these awards. The GMB Best Farmer Awards are also in sync with government programmes such as the Pfumvudza Presidential Inputs scheme and the Command Agriculture programme whose emphasis is on increased production,” he said.