Re-examining appropriate mechanization in Eastern and Southern Africa: two-wheel tractors, conservation agriculture, and private sector involvement

Abstract

The need for sustainable intensification in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) is widely recognized as a requirement to achieve food security with minimum negative social and environmental consequences. In current Research & Development programs, much emphasis is placed on increasing the efficiency with which land, water and nutrients are used, whereas farm power appears to be a 'forgotten resource'. This is a major concern when farm power in ESA countries is declining due to the collapse of most tractor hire schemes, the decline in number of draught animals and the growing shortage of human labour. A consequence of low levels of farm mechanization is high labour drudgery, which makes farming unattractive to the youth and disproportionally affects women. Undoubtedly, sustainable intensification in ESA will require an improvement in access to farm power. In this paper, we suggest this can be achieved through the use of small, multipurpose and inexpensive power sources such as two-wheel tractors (2WTs) coupled with the promotion of energy saving technologies such as conservation agriculture (CA), whilst ensuring the profitability for farmers, service providers and other private sector actors in the supply chain. We argue that appropriate mechanization in Africa, a paradigm largely abandoned three decades ago, may be re-examined through the combination of these three elements.

Enhancing Smallholder Access to Agricultural Machinery Services: Lessons from Bangladesh

“…Extending an Indian or Chinese style agricultural mechanisation drive that depends on heavy government subsidy and investment in rural infrastructure appears challenging in most poverty-stricken agriculture-dependent developing countries, considering the heavy financial burden and potential government failure ( Baudron et al , 2015; Sims, Kienzle, Cuevas, & Wall , 2006). Instead, agricultural mechanisation drives that require less investment yet ensure wider access to farm machinery even by marginal farmers appear more promising (following the Bangladesh, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Vietnam model, for example, Justice & Biggs , 2013; Mottaleb & Krupnik , 2015).…”

“…Bangladesh’s achievement of ensuring wider access to scale-appropriate agricultural machinery even by resource-poor smallholders has been well reported ( Baudron et al , 2015; Kienzle, Ashburner, & Sims , 2013). Existing studies, however, seldom focus on the lead farmers, who are the mainstay of the service provision process: initially investing in scale-appropriate machinery, taking all the financial risks, and providing services to client farmers on a fee-for-service basis.…”

“…Existing studies, however, seldom focus on the lead farmers, who are the mainstay of the service provision process: initially investing in scale-appropriate machinery, taking all the financial risks, and providing services to client farmers on a fee-for-service basis. It has been suggested to extend the Bangladeshi-style agricultural mechanisation elsewhere (for example, Baudron et al , 2015; Kienzle et al , 2013), which makes it imperative to understand the characteristics of the lead farmers cum service providers. Particularly, it is necessary to understand who invests in agricultural machinery and provides services to others, and how the mutually agreed service charges are set.…”

Promoting Smallholder Adoption of Conservation Agriculture through Mechanization Services

“…Another example of innovation in smallholder no-till planters is the Happy Seeder [14], which lifts surface mulch with rotating flails to allow seeding with chisel openers before depositing the mulch back on the surface (and, more recently, with rotating flails to chop residue in front of the seeding tines). Currently, efforts are being made to address the farm power shortage in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) through the use of 2WTs for no-till seeding as human and animal labour becomes less available in the smallholder farming sector, and the use of 4WTs is as yet not viewed as financially viable [15]. …”

Finding the Technological Sweet Spot: The Smallholder Conservation Agriculture Maize Seeder

“…Therefore, for a CA system to be implemented realistically, tools must be designed that suit the women using them and that are sensitive to the cultural and gender dynamics. Identifying suitable seeding technology for women growers or any smallholder is about "appropriate mechanization," or improved technologies that are balanced with economic feasibility, usability and cultural or community acceptance (Mrema, 2008;Baudron, 2015). Reducing labor hours and energy expenditure is crucial to improving the livelihoods of smallholder growers, especially for women growers.…”