Over 1,000 boreholes drilled under Presidential Rural Development Programme

Bongani Ndlovu, Online Reporter

The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) so far drilled over 1000 boreholes under the Presidential Rural Development Programme (PRDP) with Matabeleland North and South provinces accounting for nearly 200.

In a statement, Zinwa spokesperson Mrs Marjorie Munyonga said as of May 30, 2023, Zinwa had drilled 1 020 boreholes across the country as part of the ongoing Presidential Rural Development Programme.

The Presidential Rural Development Programme was launched in 2021 and is aimed at uplifting the living standards of rural communities.

Mrs Munyonga said under the programme, Zinwa is set to drill and equip 35 000 boreholes across the country’s eight rural provinces in a development that will see each of the country’s 35 000 villages getting a borehole.

She said the boreholes will provide water for the establishment of horticulture gardens, water for the villages’ domestic needs, fishery projects, orchards and dip tanks.

Mrs Munyonga said as of May 30, a total of 15 solar-powered horticulture gardens had been established while 112 boreholes had been equipped with bush pumps.

“Communities in Mangwe (Matabeleland South) and Mt Darwin (Mashonaland Central) have already started benefitting from the gardens; harvesting and selling their produce.

“Out of the 1 020 boreholes, 114 were drilled in Manicaland, 169 in Mashonaland Central, 101 in Mashonaland East and 119 in Mashonaland West.

“A cumulative 105 boreholes were drilled in the Midlands, 74 in Matabeleland South, 117 in Matabeleland North and 221 in Masvingo Province,” she said.

Mrs Munyonga said in executing the Presidential Rural Development Programme, Zinwa is working together with the Agriculture and Rural Development Authority (ARDA), who are responsible for the management of the gardens and the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) which is responsible for sourcing and establishing markets for the produce from the villages.

She said other implementing agencies are Zimtrade, the Tobacco Research Board and the Department of Irrigation.

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