Staff Reporter

Government yesterday launched the Presidential Rural Development Programme (PRDP) in pursuit of accelerating the attainment of Vision 2030.

Speaking during the launch in Mashonaland West Province, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development Dr. Anxious Masuka said the programme was the hallmark of the Second Republic as it seeks to advance progress.

“The Presidential Rural Development Programme is an accelerator for the attainment of Vision 2030, anchored on the provision of water as a right and an economic enabler. Water will cause agricultural development. Agricultural development will cause rural industrialisation. Rural industrialisation will spur rural development which will, in turn, facilitate the attainment of Vision 2030. The Presidential Rural Development Programme will transform rural communities from being largely economic spectators to largely economic actors and participants,” said Dr. Masuka.

Minister Masuka added that under the PRDP, Government, through the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) intends to drill and equip a total of 35 000 boreholes by 2025. He said that this means there would be a borehole in each of the 35 000 villages across Zimbabwe.

The Minister added that these solar-powered boreholes would then open the way for the local communities to establish horticulture gardens, drip irrigation, growing high-value crops, fisheries, and piped water schemes together with washing slabs and cattle troughs.

According to Minister Masuka, the PRDP is a complete package which will address food security, import substitution, poverty alleviation and eradication, access to safe and clean water by rural communities and employment creation.

The Minister revealed that this year alone, 5 000 boreholes will be drilled across the country. To add impetus to this project, the Minister said that Government had procured 40 borehole drilling rigs to be equally distributed among the eight rural provinces of Masvingo, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central, Midlands, Manicaland, Matebeleland North and Matebeleland South.

 “I am pleased to advise that these rigs are now being delivered, with what we are unveiling today being part of this. As ZINWA takes delivery of more borehole drilling rigs, so will we accelerate the implementation pace.

“As we rebuild Zimbabwe and the agriculture sector brick by brick, and stone upon stone, no one and no place will be left behind, no household and no village will be left behind, nokuti nyika inovakwa nevene vayo (a country is built by its own people),”said the Minister.

Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa has continued to reiterate that the Government is accelerating developmental programmes across the country so that no place and people would be left behind as far as development is concerned.