Staff Reporter
A major milestone in Zimbabwe’s food security agenda is taking shape in Kwekwe, where the Grain Marketing Board (GMB)’s depot expansion project is now in its final stages. As part of the Second Republic’s broader vision to ensure national food sufficiency, the nearly-completed project marks a significant stride in enhancing the country’s grain storage and processing infrastructure.
The expansion involves the construction of seven modern silos equipped with a cutting-edge continuous drying mechanism, a game changer for local farmers.
In an interview with the media, yesterday, Minister of Agriculture, Land, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka emphasised that once operational, this technology will allow farmers to harvest maize and other grains at moisture levels as high as 24 percent, and have them dried efficiently on-site.
“This system is built to process up to 200 tonnes of grain per hour. It is a huge leap from the standard 20-drier system at most GMB depots, where each unit handles only 28 tonnes in five hours. With the continuous dryer, grain does not need to be dried in batches, making it much more efficient,” he said.
The Kwekwe upgrade also incorporates environmentally-conscious features, such as a dust removal system that minimizes air pollution and an automated ventilation mechanism that prevents stack burn, a common issue in long-term grain storage.
Dr Masuka highlighted that the development in Kwekwe was not only confined to that town only. He indicated that the depot expansion project was being implemented in 13 other sites countrywide. The Minister gave out that the new silos were strategically placed so that in productive years, grain can be redistributed to deficit areas more efficiently.
“The project is not just about Kwekwe, but part of a national infrastructure rollout under which 14 new silo facilities are being constructed across Zimbabwe. Sites include key agricultural regions such as Beitbridge, Lupane, Gwanda, Gokwe, Masvingo, and Timber Mills in Mutare. Each site will provide an additional 56,000 metric tonnes of storage capacity, collectively increasing the country’s national strategic reserves toward a target of 1.5 million metric tonnes. It is not just about storage, but it is food sovereignty in action,” said Dr Masuka.
The expanded facilities are expected to ease logistical challenges, reduce post-harvest losses, and ensure that Zimbabwe maintains adequate reserves to weather droughts, import delays, and other food system shocks.
With final touches being completed, the Kwekwe GMB depot will soon be ready to play its part in strengthening Zimbabwe’s agricultural resilience, providing farmers with modern tools to thrive, and citizens with the reassurance of secure food supplies.
