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Drilling of boreholes under the Presidential Rural Horticultural scheme is set to commence soon as the 40 drilling rigs purchased from India have started arriving in the country, an official said yesterday.

Launched in December last year by President Mnangagwa, the scheme is expected to transform horticulture through increased access to irrigation and potable water for communities in rural areas.

Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) corporate communications and marketing manager Marjorie Munyonga said two of the 40 drilling rigs had been delivered.

“ZINWA has started taking delivery of the 40 high-capacity borehole drilling rigs it procured from India. 

“Two of these rigs have since arrived in Harare while the rest are being shipped and are on their way to Zimbabwe.

“The 40 borehole drilling rigs will be distributed to the country’s eight rural provinces where they are expected to anchor the Presidential Rural Horticulture Scheme launched last December in Mangwe, Matabeleland South Province,” she said.

Under the Presidential Rural Horticulture Scheme, ZINWA will drill and install 35 000 boreholes in a development that will see each of the 35 000 villages in Zimbabwe having a borehole drilled by 2025.

“Boreholes drilled under this scheme will provide water for the establishment of nutrition gardens, fish ponds and orchards.

“The boreholes will also provide drinking water for the villages, water for livestock and for dip tanks,” said Munyonga.

The Presidential Rural Horticulture Scheme is expected to set rural communities on the development course as the country moves towards attaining an upper middle income economy by 2030. – New Ziana.