Harare (New Ziana) – More than 800 villages countrywide have so far benefitted from boreholes drilled by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) under the Presidential Rural Development Programme, an official has said.
Under the programme, the government through ZINWA, is set to drill and equip a borehole for each of the country’s 35 000 villages by 2025.
The boreholes will, among other functions, provide drinking water for communities, water for establishing nutritional gardens, orchards, fishery projects and for dip-tanks.
ZINWA corporate communications and marketing manager, Marjorie Munyonga said as of 27 April 27, 2023, a total of 820 boreholes had been drilled across the country’s eight rural provinces as the Presidential Rural Development Programme gathers steam.
“Of the 820 boreholes, 67 were drilled in Matabeleland North, 80 in Mashonaland East, 89 in Manicaland, 147 in Mashonaland Central, 97 in Mashonaland West and 84 in the Midlands. Matabeleland South and Masvingo Provinces had 76 and 180 boreholes drilled respectively.
“Of these, 83 boreholes have since been successfully equipped with solar systems and bush pumps,” she said.
Meanwhile, five commercial horticulture gardens have since been successfully set up in Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, the Midlands and Mashonaland Central.
“Work on the establishment of six more gardens is underway in Mt Darwin, Mashonaland Central, with full establishment expected in the coming week,” she added.
In executing the programme, ZINWA is working with other Government agencies such as the Agricultural Rural Development Agency (ARDA), the Tobacco Research Board, Agritex, the Department of Veterinary Services and the Fisheries Department.
“ARDA and Agritex will help in the management of the gardens, in which the local communities will be producing crops for sale and share proceeds.
The programme was mooted to aid rural development and as a way of empowering rural communities in the areas of food security, poverty alleviation and employment creation.
Source: New Ziana
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