THE Government has equipped strategic agricultural institutions with trucks and operational vehicles to facilitate the efficient distribution of farming inputs and the timely delivery of grain to national strategic reserves.

The country’s strategic agriculture institutions, the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) and the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) received trucks under the Presidential Mechanisation Scheme to ease their business operations.

Presiding over the handover ceremony in Harare this Wednesday, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka, applauded President Emmerson Mnangagwa for his continued commitment to agricultural transformation.

“We want to thank His Excellency the President for mobilising these trucks. 10 trucks are for ARDA and 20 trucks plus 15 single cabs go to GMB. These vehicles will equip the two parastatals to carry out their mandate of collecting grain from farmers and also distributing inputs to farmers, contributing immensely towards ensuring food security,” he said.

GMB CEO, Dr Edson Badarai, and his ARDA counterpart, Mr Tino Mhiko, concurred that trucks will provide a more affordable and timely movement of grain and inputs to strategic points.

“These are critical tools of trade which will make our job easier. We have a mandate to collect grain from farmers, also taking grain for welfare support to the people. We used to hire trucks, but with these vehicles we can now cut operations costs, noted Dr Badarai.

ARDA CEO Mr Tatenda Mhiko weighed in, “We have a big mandate to disburse inputs for our contract with farmers we thank our President for availing this trucks they will go a long way towards fast and efficient movements of inputs and when we harvest wheat that we contracted it will now be easier than waiting to hire this initiative will allow us to create a revolving fund at a time when it is not busy we can hire out and create revolving fund to buy more.”

The launch of the Presidential Mechanisation Programme has, over the past years, seen farmers being empowered with tractors, combine harvesters and implements as part of efforts to enhance productivity and boost food security.