Harare, (New Ziana)-The Presidential Rural Development Programme continues to register significant progress with a total of 416 villages, school and youth business units having been established to date, an authority has said.
In addition, 3 277 boreholes were drilled as of October 30, with 1 695 of them having already been equipped with solar systems and bush pumps, significantly improving access to safe water by thousands of households in rural areas, some whom had been travelling for distances in excess of 15 kilometres in search the precious commodity.
A total of 208 boreholes out of the expected 635 boreholes have been drilled for the establishment of Ward Livestock Drought Mitigation Centres, aimed at helping to save livestock in wards severely affected by the current El Nino induced drought.
These were drilled in Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Midlands, Masvingo, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces.
In an update, ZINWA head of corporate communications and marketing, Marjorie Munyonga said of the business units successfully set up, 41 are in the Midlands, six are in Harare, 57 in Mashonaland Central, 28 in Mashonaland West, 62 in Mashonaland East, 30 in Matabeleland South, 36 in Matabeleland North, 13 in Bulawayo, 96 in Masvingo and 45 in Manicaland.
“The positive impact of the programme on communities is already being seen with some beneficiaries already having received dividends of up to US$3 000, while others are earning up to US$50 per month from selling their produce to local businesses, boarding schools and supermarkets,” she said.
Under the Presidential Rural Development Programme, the Government, through ZINWA, expects to drill and equip a borehole in each of the country’s 35 000 villages, 9 600 boreholes in schools and 4 500 for youth centres.
New Ziana