Zimbabwe and China have signed an agreement to expand  cooperation on the China Aid Upgrade and Maintenance of Irrigation Schemes project in Zimbabwe.

The agreement marks a new phase in the long-standing bilateral cooperation between the two countries, according to The Herald, a TV BRICS partner.

The agreements include the drilling of 300 boreholes, technical assistance, and policy advisory support.

In addition, 234 boreholes have been completed, with works carried out in Mashonaland East, Manicaland, and Masvingo, while drilling continues in the Midlands.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Harare, Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said the government-funded initiative also includes the rehabilitation and upgrading of nine major irrigation schemes across six provinces.

“It is designed to unlock greater productivity for smallholder farmers, catalyse agricultural modernisation and strengthen the nation’s resilience to climate change,” he said.

Zimbabwe’s finance minister, Mthuli Ncube, noted that the project is being implemented under the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement signed in 2019.

The minister noted the importance of cooperating with China, highlighting its contribution to Zimbabwe’s development in key sectors, including agriculture, energy, water supply, healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

(TV BRICS/NAN)