RA 00048.pdf - OAR@ICRISAT

was soon used with a pair of bullocks. Despite the
coming of the "Multiculteur" with its plow attachment,
farmers still demand the " T M " plow which
fills their needs very well.
At the same time, the early years of the
introduction of animal traction techniques were
very difficult, especially the introduction of plowing.
In effect, flat plowing was often done by
going around and around the field in such a way
that when one arrives in the center of the field,
foot traffic compacts the field and there is a large
loss of time which results from the many turns
and the increasingly short working distances.
Thus, with the increased efficiency in mind many
farmers directly plowed up ridges so that soil is
placed on unworked ground which has negative
effects on the plant development. While efforts
have been made to correct this practice, it is still
observed in certain parts of CMDT's zone of
action.
The Star Cultivator
This is the most popular weeding tool. The
standard model weighs 44 kg and has 5 cultivator
shanks on which sweeps, scarifiers or ridgers are
mounted. Rural craftsmen now fabricate many
similar pieces of equipment which are very often
quite light.
The "Multiculteur"
This equipment is light, weighs only 47 kg, and
can carry out a variety of operations with various
attachments such as a plow copied from the TM
plow and weeding and ridging tools.
Farmers in the zone would willingly do without
the "multiculteur" if they could be regularly
supplied with the star cultivator at a reasonable
price. Most often the "multiculteur" is used only
for weeding and ridging. Many farmers do not use
the plow.
The Seeder
This is a single row seeder with interchangeable
seed plates, which can be used for cereals as well
as for cotton and peanuts. This equipment has
been extended only very recently. Users at this
time wish that the tool could be made more
versatile by mounting a fertilizer applicator.
The Cart
This piece of equipment has both agricultural and
commercial uses and it is indispensable to our
farms. Farmers carry manure, water, purchased
inputs to the field, and their harvest to the village
with it. It has many uses throughout the year.
After having tried different types of carts, metal
wheels with and without a rubber covering, tires,
metal and wood beds, with or without a traction
bar, the cart with tires and an axle rated at 1 000
kg was found to be the best and is practically the
only one in use today.
The Organization and
Means of Activity
Mali Sud is an integrated development project
which came about based on the experience of a
certain number of other development programs.
The CMDT* which was given responsibility for
carrying out the project was created in 1975 to
carry on the work of CFDT which had successfully
developed cotton cropping in South Mali since
1952/53. As a rural development organization, the
CMDT has been given the following activities:
• Increase the production of cotton fiber, jute,
and cereal crops particularly millet, sorghum,
corn, and rice by:
a. increasing the use of improved cultural
methods,
b. increasing the area under cultivation.
• To put a viable extension service, and purchase
credits for agricultural equipment and inputs at
the disposition of the farmers in the area.
• Improve the methods of animal husbandry
integrated in the farm enterprise.
• Develop the capacity to deliver primary health
care.
• Assure the training and education of the rural
population through literacy training for rural
craftsmen and young farmers.
Important results have been achieved to date
and have made agriculture in the zone much more
"modern" than in the past. Traditional subsistence
agriculture with elementary cultural techniques
has become incapable of assuring a subsist-
* CMDT: The South Mali Project has been entrusted to
the Compagnie Malienne pour le Developpement des
Textiles.
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