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Thupeyo Muleya/ Patrick Chitumba, Chronicle Reporters
THE Grain Marketing Board (GMB) is working with the Department of Social Welfare to ensure that grain meant for drought relief reaches communities in time during the lockdown period.

GMB chief executive officer, Mr Rockie Mutenha, yesterday said most depots in the southern region have stocks while those with a deficit had started receiving allocations from the Bulawayo main depot.

He said so far there is no shortage as imported maize was coming into the country.

Mr Mutenha said their major depots were operating 24 hours daily.

“You will note that as GMB we are working with social welfare officials to ensure that all the required maize is uplifted to different depots. Some of the depots are already at advanced stages to uplift requirements for April. In essence, all depots have received their March allocations,” said Mr Mutenha.

He said the parastatal’s major feeding depots were Bulawayo and Aspindale in Harare where contingent measures have been put in place to ensure that there are continuous deliveries to the Department of Social Welfare throughout the lockdown period.

Mr Mutenha said as part of complementing Government’s efforts to contain the spread of the Covid-19, they had streamlined staff at depots that remain open.

He said staff at some of the depots had been put on standby should the workload increase.

Mr Mutenha said Matabeleland provinces had stocks.

“Matabeleland South has monthly requirements of 3419.000 metric tonnes and 80 percent of that has been uplifted and delivered to depots. Only 20 percent of the grain is pending collection from Bulawayo Depot which is receiving most of the imported maize,” he said.

Meanwhile, in an interview yesterday acting Midlands Provincial Coordinator, Mr Abiot Maronge said feeding schemes are on course.

“The modus operandi of the distribution modalities in the province have been adjusted so as to take into account the Covid-19. Everything is proceeding smoothly,” said Mr Maronge.

He said they had staggered days for collection and times so that beneficiaries are not more than 50 at any point in time.

“Furthermore, hand washing facilities are available at all distribution points, safe distances are being respected and any suspected cases are expeditiously directed to the health centres. We are on the lookout since we don’t want villagers coming to get food aid to go home infected or having infected someone,” he said.

So far, Mr Maronge said, this has been working very well in districts such as Shurugwi, Chirumhanzu, Gweru, Gokwe North and Gokwe South where the distribution of food aid is taking place.

“We have had some few challenges in Gokwe South but our team on the ground are working with their partners to resolve them because as President Mnangagwa has said no one must die of hunger when we have food aid,” he said.