Story by Aifheli Mudau
THE Government’s rural industrialisation drive continues to bear fruit, with the Malala community in Beitbridge now benefiting from the Presidential Solar-Powered Borehole Scheme, which serves as the backbone of their village business unit.
Beneficiaries of the Faranani Project in Ward 6, Beitbridge District, are now able to grow crops all year round after the government installed a solar-powered borehole to support their farming activities.
“We are doing farming and getting food, and we already have this maize crop which will help us not to be affected by hunger in our homes,” said one farmer.
“Solarised boreholes will help us do our farming without limit. This project brought a big development in our village because we first planted beans, and today we are planting maize,” added another.
Government continues to provide technical support through the Department of Agricultural, Technical and Extension Services (AGRITEX) to ensure sustainability and productivity.
“We are putting our hands together on what the government did for us. We were given boreholes and tanks, including solar and fencing, and taught farming because the land is ours,” said Faranani Project chairperson, Ms Munyaliwa Ndou.
Beitbridge West legislator, Honourable Thusani Ndou, expressed appreciation for the initiative.
“We are very grateful as people from Tshitaudze for what our listening President, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa, has done for us. The elders are tilling the land and helping their families with food, so they should safeguard this project,” he said.
Under the rural industrialisation agenda, the government is targeting to establish 35 000 rural business units across the country, supported by solar-powered boreholes to enhance agricultural productivity and improve livelihoods in rural communities.
