A Resource Book
of
Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA)
Edited by
P.G. Kaumbutho
T. E. Simalenga
MAWRD
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A Resource Book of Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA) Edited by P.G. Kaumbutho T. E. Simalenga
MAWRD
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with Animal Traction A Resource Book of Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA) Edited by P.G. Kaumbutho T. E. Simalenga
An ATNESA publication made possible by the assistance of French Mission for Co-operation and Cultural Affairs in Namibia through Ministry of Agriculture Water and Rural Development of Namibia (MAWRD) Citation of this publication: Kaumbutho P.G. and Simalenga T.E. (editors), 1999. Conservation Tillage with Animal Traction. A resource book of Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA). Harare. Zimbabwe.
___________ Published on behalf of : The Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA) by: Book preparation to Camera Ready copy by P.G. Kaumbutho with the kind assistance of Fred Ochieng and Zena Ngorongo, Kenya Network for Draught Animal Technology (KENDAT) P.O. Box 61441, Nairobi. Kenya. Tel/Fax +254-2-766939 Email: KENDAT@Africaonline.co.ke Cover Pictures: "Faces" of Conservation
tillage in Namibia by P.G. Kaumbutho
The material presented in this book arose from an Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA) Workshop titled: "Conservation Tillage with Animal Traction for Soil-Water Management and Environmental Sustainability" hosted by the Namibia government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development (MAWRD) and held at Rundu, Namibia, in October, 1998. The workshop was co-sponsored by various organizations and its success was made possible by the hard work of many different people, of which the ATNESA steering committee and the workshop hosts will remain most appreciative. The local organizing committee was composed of officials from MAWRD, the University of Namibia, and the Rural Support Development Programme (RSDP) and ATNESA. A report of the workshop is available from both MAWRD and ATNESA. Deep appreciation is due to the Division of Agricultural Training and Mashare Agricultural and Research Institute who provided secretariat services and logistical assistance. The efforts of Team Leaders, P.W. Misika, E. Mwenya and E. Namalambo, backed by a most unique government ministry team, will always be remembered. The workshop secretariat and other core costs of the workshop were provided by: MAWRD, NNRDP - Northern Namibia Rural Development Programme, RSDP - Rural Development Support Programme, Namibia, NOLIDEP- Northern Regions Livestock Development Programme, Namibia among others. Special appreciation is due to Dr. V.P. Shivute, the PS in MAWRD for his support and help in securing the funds. Several participants were sponsored by CTA - Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Co-operation, CF - Commonwealth Foundation and some by their own organizations or by agencies within their own countries. To all these, it’s a big Thank you. The production of this ATNESA Resource Book and the Workshop Report that preceded it was supported by French Mission for Co-operation and Cultural Affairs in Namibia, under a contract to ATNESA. ATNESA provided tireless effort towards timely completion of this book, which joins at least 10 other resource books on this most important subject covering practical ways of empowering smallholder farmers and small-business transporters. The books are a true resource in this multi-disciplinary, multi-sector, individual and organizational initiative of sensitizing and main-streaming a most sustainable and versatile power source: animal traction. The books help in many ways and add flavour to the joyful art of networking by documenting the sharing of expertise, experience and practical solutions to everyday rural level livelihood problems. Often, it is the simplicity of the solutions available, that carries their efficacy. Here is to better lives for our rural citizenry, the vulnerable and the humble, who do so much for their families and countries, in quiet corners of our God-given resource base. May our farmlands be protected through conservation tillage systems and techniques, among other, ongoing initiatives, to preserve the environment. It's for the children. It's for future generations, who probably deserve better than we have had … Lets do it together…!
4.Investigating into soil fertility in the North Central regions by C. Rigourd and T. Sappe 5.Effect of socio-economic and gender issues on sustainability resource management by J.K. Rwelamira 6.Conservation tillage research and development in South-Africa by Richard Fowler 7.Role of draft animal power in Ghanaian agriculture by E.Y.H. Bobobee 16.Efforts and initiatives for supply of conservation tillage equipment in Zambia by Isaac Sakala 19.Soil-water and conservation tillage practices in Lesotho: Experiences of SWACAP by Letla Mosonene |
| "The overall balance
of success in combating soil degradation throughout the world is unsatisfactory.
We can even talk about a worrying trend since not only the quality but
also the quantity of soil - the basis of our lives - is continuing to dwindle.
Apart from regional improvements, often achieved at considerable financial
expense, we can say that the soils in many regions of the world are continuing
to degrade. The consequence of this is that efforts to implement site-appropriate,
sustainable forms of agriculture and for the development and trials of
new, innovative approaches will have to be further intensified"
International Soil Conservation Organization (ISCO) Secretariat, on Letter to Participants of 1996 ISCO Conference, Bonn. Germany. |