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TitleWho is going to drill the African boreholes? : entrepreneurs in the rural water supply sub-sector
Publication TypeMiscellaneous
Year of Publication2006
AuthorsRobinson, A
Secondary TitleField note / WSP
Pagination15 p. : 3 boxes, 4 maps, photogr.
Date Published2006-10-01
PublisherWater and Sanitation Program - African Region
Place PublishedNairobi, Kenya
Keywordsboreholes, case studies, ethiopia, madagascar, nigeria, private sector, sdiafr, sdiman, sudan, well drilling
Abstract

Recent estimates suggest that up to one million new boreholes will be needed in Africa to achieve the 2015 MDG for water supply. External support agencies have tried to build drilling capacity in government agencies and NGOs, but had to admit that this approach did not work and they are now turning to the private sector for solutions.

Private drillers form an essential segment of the borehole drilling sector in Africa.

However, the life of the private borehole driller is not well known or understood, as it is mostly played out in remote and inhospitable corners of the world, far from the eyes of donors and government regulators. More needs to be known about their abilities and the contribution they can make.

Successful case studies of entrepreneurial drilling companies in four African countries are used in this Field Note to illustrate business strategies and common constraints, and possible ways forward. It is hoped that this information will encourage sector stakeholders to develop stronger relationships with, and provide support to, these drillers.

In this way, government, NGO, and private drilling will develop greater knowledge of, and confidence in each other's ability and capacity. This will lead to more healthy public-private partnerships and increases in borehole production and cost-effectiveness. Increased workloads lead to higher profits for the drillers, and greater re-investment in equipment and capacity. Efficient implementation will attract more finance and support to the sector, easing the burdens of service delivery through limited resources.

Notes6 ref.
Custom 1824, 202.6

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