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Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
A plan to drill 20 000 boreholes in 2022 has been set in motion, out of the targeted 35 000 boreholes to be drilled across the country by 2025, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister, Dr Anxious Masuka, has said.
Treasury has allocated resources in the 2022 national Budget for the drilling of 20 000 boreholes, representing 60 percent of the targeted 35 000 boreholes.
Speaking in Victoria Falls recently, Dr Masuka said the Second Republic was committed to “leaving no-one behind”.
“The national Budget has made a provision for 20 000 boreholes, that is in 20 000 villages out of the desired 35 000 villages. This is unprecedented in the history of the country that we will be able to cover more than 60 percent of the country,” said Dr Masuka.
“So, this is something that is exciting, that will uplift rural communities because no one in all places should be left behind as we build Zimbabwe brick upon brick and stone upon stone.”
The country is targeting to drill up to 35 000 boreholes so that each of the country’s 35 000 villages has a solar powered borehole by 2025 to anchor the Presidential Rural Horticulture Transformation Plan, in an effort to mitigate water challenges and help transform livelihoods through horticulture especially in rural communities.
A borehole will also be drilled at each of the country’s 9 600 schools.
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) acquired 40 drilling rigs and has already started drilling model boreholes countrywide.
The boreholes are expected to provide water for horticulture and related projects such as fisheries as well as for domestic and livestock use.
This will also reduce distance travelled by communities to get water.
Access to clean water and sanitation is one of the goals under NDS1.
The country has 44 950 boreholes and of these, only 25 000 are functional.
Online Reporter