Potentials of draught animal power in Tanzania

                                                                                     

        

                                                                                             
Tanzania is a predominantly agricultural country and its dominant form of agriculture is still small-scale production based on hand hoe technology.
The agriculture mechanization policy in Tanzania gives the highest priority to mechanizing the smallholder farmer. Measures to expand and improve the use of draught animals for farm operations are given highest priority especially in areas where livestock keeping is well established.

Animal traction is seen as appropriate technology that will improve the quality of life of rural people particularly women and children, and increase sustainable private sector agricultural production.

Animals (Bulls) have been in use in the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba for many generations using artisanal manufactured wooden wheeled carts. In mainland Tanzania, the use of animals for transport and subsequent cultivation was introduced in 1920( Starkey, 1991).

Cultivated land expansion of up to 200% and manual labour reductions of 30 to 70% have been observed in Tanzania when draught animals have been used compared to hand hoe.

Animal power is defined as the draught force from animals which when tapped by humans can be used for productive and recreational activities.

A draught animal is a trained animal used for pulling or lifting implements and/or loads.

• Draught animals have been an important source of agriculture power throughout the world for many years. Even today, especially in developing countries, draught animals provide more than 75% of the draught power in agriculture. More than 70% of Tanzania live and work in rural areas where the means of livelihood is subsistence agriculture. There are numerous advantages, opportunities and constraints to the widespread adoption of ADP in Tanzania. They vary with agro-ecological zones.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Potentials for draught animal power in Tanzania
• Good availability of well-adapted animals. Tanzania is estimated to have more than 13milion cattle and 250,000 donkeys that are well distributed. A merge of 7.5% of these reused as work animals. Furthermore, their use is limited to tillage and transportation by the cart or sledge. Consequently, these work animals are utilised for only two or to three months in a year and are idle for a longer part of the year.                                                                                                                    
• Arable land for expansion of cultivated area is available. Tanzania has 40 million hectares of arable land of which less than 20% is presently being cropped. If the total arable land is divided by the total population, each person has an average arable land of 1.4  exploitation of draught animal power calls for increased farm sizes (greater than 1.6ha) which is available. The available land is mostly in flat plains or moderate slopes where draught animal power can feasibly be employed.                                                                                                                        
• Nuclei for the propagation of draught animal power exist, Draught animal power is being used to plough 20% of the cultivated area. In communities where draught animal power is used, tillage with oxen is a way of life poised only to go forward and influence neighbours. This forms an opportune entry point for introducing new technologies to proficient farmers or facilitation of technology diffusion from farmer to farmer.                                                                                    
• Skills by farmers on crop husbandry and use of inputs. Ownership of work animals and animal traction implements increases fixed costs. To reap more benefits from the increased area under cultivation, it is imperative to employ improved crop husbandry skills( such as row and timely planting, proper plant population) and use of inputs( such as improved seeds, fertilizer and pesticides). About 70% of Tanzania farmers are knowledgeable about these skills.                       
• Supportive government policies towards draught animal power. The current government policies and the vision 2025, in particular, are supportive in increasing draught animal power. The positive discrimination in the form of tax exemptions and funding for training are unique opportunities.