GMAZ, ARDA seal maize deal
ROBIN PHIRI
The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) and the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) have signed a landmark agreement that will see the production and supply of 200,000 metric tonnes of non-GMO white maize during the 2025/26 summer cropping season, a major stride toward strengthening Zimbabwe’s food security and reducing reliance on grain imports.
Under the agreement, ARDA will produce and deliver the maize to GMAZ members between April 1, 2026, and March 30, 2027, with deliveries destined for Harare, Bulawayo, and Mutare. Each metric tonne will be priced at US$355.
The maize output will make a substantial contribution to the country’s commercial grain requirements and ensure steady supplies to millers who produce staple foods such as maize meal, rice, flour, stockfeed, and breakfast cereals.
GMAZ Vice Chairperson Chipo Nheta said the agreement underscores GMAZ’s unwavering commitment to strengthening national food security through structured local production. She noted that Zimbabwe’s maize consumption — estimated between 105kg and 155kg per person per year — ranks among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa, making the crop vital to both household nutrition and national stability.
“By prioritizing local procurement of non-GMO white maize, this agreement ensures resilient supply chains, reduces exposure to global price shocks, and supports job creation across farming and industrial sectors,” said Nheta.
“This agreement builds upon GMAZ’s ongoing mission to secure Zimbabwe’s grain supply chain through local production partnerships. By prioritizing domestic maize procurement, the GMAZ-ARDA alliance reinforces the country’s resilience against import shocks and promotes sustainable agricultural growth.”
The partnership is anchored on GMAZ’s previous agricultural initiatives, including the Wheat Contract Farming Programme (2020–2023), which helped Zimbabwe attain wheat self-sufficiency for the first time in decades. Since 2020, more than 500,000 hectares of maize and wheat have been placed under contract farming through collaborations between GMAZ, farmers, government, and private stakeholders.
GMAZ has also played a critical role in stabilizing prices and managing grain import logistics during droughts and low-yield seasons. In the current wheat marketing season, GMAZ members have already purchased over 35,000 tonnes of wheat from ARDA and expect to continue procurement over the next six to eight weeks — a reflection of GMAZ’s sustained efforts to support local farmers and maintain national grain reserves.
ARDA Director of Operations Shingirai Jenah hailed the agreement as a transformative step in bridging the long-standing gap between primary agricultural production and commercial markets.
“We are very excited to start this collaboration and synergy between GMAZ and ARDA. This presents a panacea and remedy to the missing link that has been there between primary producers of agricultural commodities and the commercial market,” Jenah said.
“This will go a long way in catapulting local production and productivity, thereby eliminating imports of these commodities which have been draining much-needed and scarce foreign currency. The commitment by GMAZ shows collaboration where ARDA and the private sector are aligning objectives to ensure sustainable food security for the country.”
Jenah added that the partnership would strengthen agricultural value chains by promoting processing, storage, and value addition, while reducing seasonal supply fluctuations. He also highlighted the introduction of innovative financial models such as blended finance and warehouse receipt systems to support both commercial and smallholder farmers — including youth, women, and marginalized communities.
The two organizations emphasized that the partnership aligns with the government’s food security and rural industrialization strategy, promoting policy coordination, value chain localization, and national food sovereignty.
