The Omaheke Regional Council, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, has commenced the drilling of water boreholes in seven villages in the Otjombinde Constituency.

Otjombinde Councillor Wenzel Kavaka says all seven villages where boreholes will be drilled have been without water for years, hindering agricultural activities.

Kavaka added that, with the drilling of boreholes, the farming community should also venture into crop production to address food insecurity.

There have also been disputes in villages over a limited source of water.

"Last year we drilled four boreholes, and this year we are going to drill another seven boreholes, so the drilling rig is now in the constituency to ensure that we are providing sufficient water to our communities in this place where we are at Oruana. These people came here in 1971, and since 1976 they have been struggling with water, so they were provided with water from another village.”

Kavaka says the aim is to ensure that 21 villages have boreholes in due course.

A village headman at Oruana, Adam Kandorozu, said the community used to travel eight kilometres to the next village for water, which is costly.

“We have been struggling; we used to get water from another village some kilometres away, and diesel and pipelines have been a costly assessment to us.”

Kandorozu also implored his fellow farmers to take care of the new infrastructure.

The manager of the contractor, Alfa Drilling, has called upon the community to cooperate with the team to complete the task within the timeline.