Andrew
Online Reporter
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) will this month take delivery of 10 high-capacity borehole drilling rigs, which will be used to anchor the Presidential Rural Horticulture Transformation Plan.
Under the programme, 35 000 boreholes will be drilled countrywide by 2025.
An additional 30 drilling rigs are expected before March.
Zinwa corporate communications and marketing manager Mrs Marjorie Munyonga said the rigs will add impetus to Government’s rural modernisation programmes.
“Zinwa expects to take delivery of 10 high-capacity borehole drilling rigs at the end of February,” she said.
“The 10 are part of the 40 borehole drilling rigs that will anchor the Presidential Rural Horticulture Scheme, under which Zinwa targets to drill 35 000 boreholes across the country by 2025.
“The Presidential Rural Horticulture Scheme has started following its launch in December 2021 by President Mnangagwa in Jinjika Village in the Mangwe District.”
The equipment will be distributed evenly across the country’s eight rural provinces.
Over 2,3 million households are expected to benefit from fruit production and the establishment of village nutrition gardens under the programme.
Zinwa will drill and equip the boreholes, while Agricultural Rural Development Authority (ARDA) and Agricultural Advisory Services (Agritex) will be responsible for the establishment and management of nutrition gardens.
The initiative is envisaged to increase rural household incomes by an average of US$2 000 per year.
Each household will receive 10 fruit trees of different varieties depending on suitability of the tree to a particular region.
Meanwhile, Mrs Munyonga said the water authority is targeting to install 35 000 prepaid water meters at houses in small towns, growth points and rural service centres where Zinwa provides treated water.
“As at January 27, 2022, a total of 9 323 prepaid water meters had been installed in Hwange, Nyanga, Mutoko, Karoi, Chivhu and Mvurwi, with the roll-out expected to spread to other parts of the country as Zinwa continues to receive more meters,” she said.
Online Reporter