RA 00048.pdf - OAR@ICRISAT

season makes these animals incapable of
working more than a half day especially
during the plowing period, the most critical
time of the year.
(3) The equipment/teams are operated as independent
units which increase the freedom
of action by permitting different activities
to be carried out at the same time.
The increase in the number of equipment types
can be interpreted as an indication of the need for
better adapted and performing equipment at a
lower cost.
The second group are those for whom intermediate
motorization addresses the profitability (production)
limits of animal traction techniques. A
simple motorized unit with versatile and dependable
equipment which performs better than what
has been used to date is needed. While the effort
is in its 5th year, intermediate motorization is still
in the testing phase. In effect, because of
repeated failures with attempts at motorization,
the project waited until 1977-78 to begin activities
aimed at bringing about a successful effort of
this type.
This activity, which today involves 79 exploitations
in the Koutiala area, in the center of the
project zone, is characterized by:
(a) sophisticated farmers
(b) animal traction since 1928
(c) logistic support that is available during all of
the year
(d) large cultivated areas.
At the end of the 1981 /82 cropping season the
agro-socioeconomic parameters of this system
will be defined and above and beyond this we
have a tractor and equipment which is viable from
the point of view of operation and performance.
Future Orientations
The effort to transfer technology supposes that
the conditions for its acceptance are at hand.
These basic conditions relevant to agricultural
mechanization can be summarized in three parts:
a. SELF-SUFFICIENCY. When the use of a piece of
equipment or process becomes common; this
is said to be the most important condition
precedent on the farm. In effect, with our
conditions, it is not enough to say that a new
piece of equipment performs well or is profitable,
but that it also must certainly be able to
be, within the context in which it is used,
supported by a large number of persons
capable of providing necessary supplies and
maintenance.
b. PERFORMANCE. The need for surplus production
for security food stocks has made it
necessary to put larger areas under production
and it has as a result, become necessary to
have more production per equipment unit to
ensure adequate performance to guarantee
that the production calendar is respected.
c. PROFITABILITY. NO less important than the
other aspects and often in fact the limiting
factor when one talks about important technological
innovations which are available.
It follows that, one can foresee three steps
towards increased mechanization in the project
zone, i.e., light weight animal traction equipment;
heavier animal traction equipment; and intermediate
mechanization.
Light Weight Animal Traction Equipment
This step principally concerns those who are
being equipped for the first time and this is the
largest group. The equipment is based on the TM
plow and the donkey cultivator; specialized equipment
comes in a second phase which should be
left to the initiative of the farmers.
The need must be recognized, in a more and
more important way, to make the equipment
lighter so that it can be used throughout the
project zone. One notes a tendency towards
cheaper traction animals, like the donkey, in place
of bullocks or even the use of cows or a single
bullock for work which does not demand a very
high traction effort (especially seeding and
weeding).
Our figures indicate that there are more farmers
who purchase a second piece of equipment than
those who purchase for the first time. This comes
about because of the price and credit relationships.
Improved credit is necessary for this type of
peasant. Particular attention should be given to
credit for traction animals, the biggest investment
involved in the expansion of animal traction.
Heavier Animal Traction
The increase in the number of traction units in
certain farms results in an over-equipment and
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