Construction of GMB automated silos in Mutare nears completion THE construction of state-of-the-art, AI-powered grain silos at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depot in Mutare has reached an advanced stage, with government officials indicating the project will be completed by the end of July. The initiative, part of a broader national strategy to strengthen food security, aims not only to enhance agricultural productivity but also to improve post-harvest handling and storage infrastructure. This Friday, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka, toured the site and expressed satisfaction with the progress made. “Mutare GMB depot is one of the 14 sites that are under construction. These Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered modern storage facilities carry 56 000 metric tonnes at each of the 14 sites. This project is 80% complete, and they should be done by July 20 in time for the wheat intake. Recently, the President commissioned AI silos at Kwekwe, so these are a replica of the ones in Midlands. The modern thing is that they come with dust extractors, and there is an inbuilt 100 tonne an hour dryer depending on the moisture content at intake,” he said. Acting Provincial Mechanisation Engineer for Manicaland Province, Engineer Farai Nyamhunga, provided a detailed update on the construction works. “We have constructed seven silos, each with a capacity of 8 000 metric tonnes, bringing the total to 56 000 metric tonnes. We have completed the installation of the silos, the drying tower, the cooling tower, and the moisture control room. Construction of the furnace room, the core warehouse, the dispatching room, and the power room is currently underway,” he said. Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, highlighted how the silo construction aligns with the province’s growing agricultural output. “To date, Manicaland has harvested 394 000 metric tonnes of maize and 77 000 metric tonnes of traditional grains, giving a total of 471 000 metric tonnes. With ongoing revamping of irrigation schemes and the construction of more dams, agricultural productivity is expected to rise, making adequate storage facilities even more critical,” he said. The government has confirmed that similar automated silo facilities are under construction at various sites across the country as part of its broader strategy to modernise Zimbabwe’s grain storage infrastructure and ensure food security.