The Costs of Using Draft Animals for Sustainable Agricultural Production in Tanzania

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the annual costs of owning and using a pair of draft animals (oxen) for agricultural production in areas with and with little tradition in cattle keeping. Shinyanga region represented an area with tradition in cattle keeping. whereas Morogoro region represented an area with little tradition in cattle keeping as it borders with tsetse fly infested area. In each region a total of 40 households were selected for the study, then the annual average method was used to calculate the annual costs. The findings show that the annual costs of ownership vary from place to place. The area with tradition in cattle keeping has advantage of low cost by 39% less as compared to area with little tradition. It was concluded that animal traction technology is more suitable both socially and economically viable for farmers with tradition in animal keeping. Other technologies such as the use of single axle tractors should be thought for agricultural production in areas without tradition in animal keeping.

Keywords: Draft animal, Oxen, Costs, Mechanization. Tanzania

Tanzania J.Agric.Sc. (2007) Vol. 8 No.2, 141-148