HARARE – The Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Jenfan Muswere, has announced that the government is in the process of finalising outstanding payments owed to farmers, in a bid to restore confidence in the agricultural sector and ensure uninterrupted grain supplies to the national reserves.
Addressing journalists at a post-Cabinet briefing in Harare, Minister Muswere said that efforts are underway to mobilise the necessary financial resources to honour commitments to farmers who delivered maize, wheat, and other grains to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) during the last marketing season.
“The government is aware of the outstanding payments owed to our hardworking farmers. Measures are being put in place to ensure that these obligations are met without further delay,” said Muswere.
He assured the farming community that funds will also be availed to the GMB to guarantee prompt payments for upcoming grain deliveries during the 2025 harvesting season. The move is expected to incentivise farmers to continue supplying grain to formal markets rather than resorting to side marketing, which has been a growing concern in recent years.
Muswere emphasised that grain producers remain a vital pillar in Zimbabwe’s quest for national food security, and that the government is committed to supporting them through improved financing, fair pricing, and timely disbursement of payments.
“The Second Republic recognises the critical role played by farmers in feeding the nation. Ensuring that they are paid on time is not only a matter of policy but a matter of national interest,” he said.
The Minister also noted that government agencies, including the Treasury and the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, are working collaboratively to streamline payment systems and improve efficiency in the procurement and distribution of grain.
Farmers’ unions have recently raised concerns over delayed payments, which they say undermine productivity and discourage participation in future government-supported schemes such as Pfumvudza/Intwasa and the Command Agriculture Programme.
With the 2025 harvesting season approaching, the government’s commitment to clearing arrears and preparing for timely payments is being viewed as a critical step in stabilising the agricultural economy, which is central to Zimbabwe’s broader development goals under Vision 2030.
