IRRIGATING LAND FOR PROSPERITY

On July 22, in Mahusekwa, a town in Zimbabwe's Mashonaland East province, the roar of machinery was met with cheers from villagers as groundwater gushing out from below. This marked the drilling of the first well as part of China's project to build 300 wells in Zimbabwe.

"We are very happy because we now have access to clean and safe water," said Titha Chainga, a local villager who witnessed the drilling, adding that the well also provides a valuable water source for irrigating farmlands.

Affected by the El Nino phenomenon, southern African countries are once again grappling with severe drought this year. Zimbabwe, an agricultural powerhouse often referred to as the "breadbasket of Africa", is confronted with a serious challenge to its food security.

In Mashonaland East province, a key agricultural and livestock region, the ongoing drought has left local farmers almost desperate. Vegetable farmer Tatenda Chimbwanda from Mahusekwa said that due to the lack of water, she had to walk a long distance every day to fetch water to irrigate her vegetables.

To combat the drought, China has initiated a project to drill 300 wells across the hardest-hit provinces, including Mashonaland East, Manicaland, Masvingo, and Midlands.

It is no easy task. Liu Guangcheng, the onsite management team leader of China Geo-Engineering Corporation's post-disaster well-drilling project in Zimbabwe, said that prolonged drought and reduced rainfall have severely depleted groundwater supplies, making it time-consuming to find suitable drilling locations. Meanwhile, the challenging road conditions and lack of mobile communication in remote areas are further complicating the construction efforts. However, the Chinese team has been working diligently to address the issue.

Daniel Garwe, Zimbabwe's minister of National Housing and Social Amenities, said the wells will ease the water crisis in the four hardest-hit provinces, enhancing resilience against the current El Nino-induced drought and saving livestock.

"The China-funded well drilling project is a symbol of cooperation, compassion, and unwavering support from our all-weather friend the People's Republic of China, to ensure access to safe water for all Zimbabweans," the minister said.

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said that over the past decade, China has drilled more than 1,000 wells across Zimbabwe, providing drinking and irrigation water for nearly 400,000 people and creating thousands of jobs.

Zimbabwean economist Paul Musodza said that for the Zimbabwean people, China has always been a true friend that extends a helping hand when needed and remains the most reliable partner in addressing urgent needs.

The implementation of the well-drilling project in Zimbabwe "embodies President Xi's principles of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith for China's Africa policy", he said.