Govt targets 10 000 boreholes by end of October

Fildah Gwati

GOVERNMENT, through the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, is targeting to drill 10 000 boreholes countrywide by October 2024 under the irrigation rehabilitation and development project, as efforts to climate-proof agriculture intensify.

In a recent X (formerly twitter) post Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary Professor Dr Obert Jiri said: “Through irrigation rehabilitation and development projects, the Ministry is on a drive to establish 10 000 boreholes by the end of October, 2024.”

He also said, as part of the initiative, three borehole drilling rigs had been allocated to each of the country’s 10 provinces and the process was already underway.

According to a recent project update released by the Ministry, the overall scheme aims to drill 35 000 solar powered boreholes during the NDS1 phase spanning from 2021 to 2025 across the country.

“This extensive borehole network will enable the people of Zimbabwe to embark on various projects that will change their lifestyles for the better as the solar powered boreholes are expected to open doors for the communities to venture into drip irrigation, horticulture production, fisheries, as well as cattle rearing, among other things,” Prof Jiri added.

The programme aligns with Vision 2030, which is Zimbabwe’s strategic development blueprint aiming to transform the country into an upper middle-income economy within the next eight years.

Recently, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka said the Presidential Rural Development Programme was an accelerator for the attainment of Vision 2030, anchored on the provision of water as a right and as an economic enabler. He said this while launching the Presidential Rural Development Programme at Sweetwater in Nyahukwe Village of Makoni district, Manicaland.

“Water will cause agricultural development, which will result in rural industrialisation. Rural industrialisation will spur rural development, which will in turn facilitate the attainment of Vision 2030.”

This will transform rural communities from being largely economic spectators to economic actors and participants. Under the programme, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) will drill and equip a total of 35 000 boreholes by 2025. This means a borehole in each of the 35 000 villages in Zimbabwe, he added.

This approach will see Zinwa providing water infrastructure while the irrigation department will provide drip irrigation infrastructure and security.

Zinwa is also actively drilling boreholes across the country to address water scarcity in both rural and urban areas. As of February 22, 2022 a total of 2 658 boreholes had already been drilled under the Presidential Rural Development Programme.