Q: Animal Traction is a technology from the past, isn’t promoting it taking the farmers backwards?
A: Draft Animals can reduce considerably the amount of human
power that has to be expended and thereby reduce drudgery and
improve the quality of life of rural communities without the high
initial investment cost of buying a tractor.
With the increasing cost and decreasing availability of tractors,
spare parts and fossil fuels as well as the related consumption of
foreign exchange and removal of capital from rural communities, the
use of draft animal power is an important consideration.
Q: Animal Traction has a poor image, what can be done to rectify this?
A: In other countries in the world including Europe, England and
North America Animal Traction technology has been modernised
considerably with the result that it is no longer regarded as an
outdated, outmoded technology in these countries.
There is a real need to improve the image of Animal Traction in
South Africa and its acceptance and recognition by the National and
Provincial Departments of Agriculture as well as the extension
services will go a long way to ensuring this.
Q: Why, despite over 50 years of neglect, does animal traction in one form or another continue to be used by the majority of small scale farmers in South Africa?
A: Animal Traction is a Gender and Environment-friendly component of sustainable Agriculture and it’s continued use by large numbers of small scale farmers as well as by some commercial farmers testifies to its appropriateness in many farming systems, not least because of its affordability and convenience when compared with fossil fuel dependant power options.
Q: Is Animal Traction only relevant for small scale farmers?
A: Animal Traction is not only an option for the small scale farmer, it should be considered by all farmers, as on almost every farm there is an operation, which could best be done using Animal Traction with the added benefit of its being done at a reduced cost.
Q: How can animal traction technology be best conveyed to the farmers of this country?
A: It is necessary to employ the principles of the Farming Systems Research and Extension to determine the needs and resources of farmers as well as to prioritise research and then with the intervention of the government as well asx the extension service to facilitate Animal Traction technology transfer wherever it is applicable.