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Online Reporter

OVER 700 villages across the country have so far benefitted from the boreholes being drilled by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) under the Presidential Rural Development Programme.

Under the programme, Zinwa is set to drill and equip a borehole for each of the country’s 35 000 villages by 2025. Each village will also be empowered with a nutrition garden with a wide range of fruit trees.

The Government will also drill 9 600 boreholes for schools while each ward will have additional two boreholes for youth horticulture projects.

The Scheme was launched by President Mnangagwa in December 2021 at Sekusile-Makorokoro nutrition garden in Jinjika village, Mangwe District in Matabeleland South province.

The programme is benefiting over 1,8 million households as the Second Republic accelerates efforts to alleviate poverty among rural communities in line with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

The scheme has created employment for women and youths thereby improving livelihoods as outlined in the Agriculture and Food System Transformation Strategy whose national thrust is to see Zimbabwe achieve an US$8,2 billion agriculture economy by 2025.

Last year, the Government imported 40 high-capacity drilling rigs from India to bolster the drilling of boreholes.
In a statement, Zinwa, spokesperson, Mrs Marjorie Munyonga said the Presidential Rural Development Programme is expected to help unlock opportunities for rural communities in terms of access to clean and safe water, food security, poverty alleviation, and employment creation.

“These boreholes will provide water for the villages to establish commercial horticulture gardens, orchards, poultry projects, and fishery projects. The boreholes will also provide water to meet the villages’ drinking water needs as well as water for dip tanks and other needs,” she said.

Mrs Munyonga said as of April 5, a total of 709 boreholes had been drilled in the country’s eight rural provinces, which are being targeted under the Presidential Rural Development Programme

“Of the 709 boreholes drilled to date; 67 have been drilled in Matabeleland South, 58 in Matabeleland North, 96 in Mashonaland West, 110 in Mashonaland Central, and 78 in Mashonaland East. A total of 73 boreholes have been drilled in the Midlands, 79 in Manicaland and 148 in Masvingo Province,” she said.

“In the execution of this life-transforming programme, Zinwa is working with other Government agencies that include Arda AMA, the Department of Irrigation, the Tobacco Research Board, and Agritex.”