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Conrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau

CHURCH leaders should help demystify the perception that consumption of small grains is ungodly and ritualistic, Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) president, Mr Tafadzwa Musarara has said.

He made the call to the media yesterday in Chinhoyi during his visit to the provincial capital to assess the availability of maize meal.

Mr Musarara said that the government had managed to push the production of small grains under the climate-proof agriculture scheme also known as Pfumvudza/Inthwasa.

Despite the uptake in small grains production, receptiveness and consumption have remained low.

This has seen Zimbabwe import more maize from neighbouring South Africa to cushion it from the adverse effects of an imminent El Nino-induced drought this year.

Said Mr Musarara: “We have at least 50 000 metric tonnes of small grains in the national reserves and what is worrisome is the receptiveness and consumption by the citizens.

“We have also noted that the perception of low receptiveness is somehow religious.”

He said there was a need for church leaders to influence their congregants to accept small grains.

GMAZ vice president and National Foods Managing Director Mr Chipo Nheta said small grains were an alternative source of healthy starch.