Agricultural Mechanization Policies and Strategies in Africa: Case Studies from Commonwealth African Countries
Synopsis
In this publication sixteen leading African agricultural engineers present their views on the evolution of agricultural mechanization policies and strategies in Africa since the colonial times. Agricultural mechanization remains quite a controversial input in African agriculture in particular that of small holder farmers. Conflicting policy prescriptions have been given for the African agricultural mechanization problem by, among others, socio-economists, agricultural engineers and politicians from the academic and donor community as well as the national governments. The failure of the many Government sponsored tractorisation projects initiated in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s has greatly contributed to this policy and strategy conundrum.
Agriculture in most African countries is still undertaken by using the centuries out handtool technology with entire reliance on human muscle power in about 60-90% of the cultivated land. Whereas, everybody agrees that this has to change, the main question has been on how the change should come about. Should African countries go through the evolutionary path – from handtool though animal powered to mechanically powered agricultural mechanization as it has happened in the developed countries. Or should they aim at skipping the intermediate stage – animal powered mechanization. The experience of seven African countries (Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia) in agricultural mechanization policy formulation is presented in this volume. There are also chapters on the experiences of India and FAO as well as on tropical agriculture. This is the first book to present the full range of experiences in agricultural mechanization policy formulation in Africa. It is aimed both for development practitioners and policy makers as well as students of agriculture, agricultural engineering and economics.
Chapters
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Foreword
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An Overview of Agricultural Mechanization in the World
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Agricultural Mechanization Strategy Formulation: Procedures and Issues
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Agricultural Mechanization in Africa - An Overview of Main Issues
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A Review of Developments in Agricultural Mechanization in Botswana
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Agricultural Mechanization in Ghana - An Overview
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Agricultural Mechanization Policies & Strategies in Kenya
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Agricultural Mechanization Policies & Strategies in Nigeria
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A Review of Agricultural Mechanization Strategies for Small Scale Farmers in Swaziland
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Agricultural Mechanization Policies and Strategies in Tanzania
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An Overview of Agricultural Mechanization Strategies in Zambia
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Adoption of Research Findings in Africa: The Nigerian Experience
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Formulation and Implementation of Agricultural Mechanization Strategies in India
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The Role of Small Four Wheel Tractors in Agricultural and Industrial Development in the Tropics
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Synthesis of the African Experience in Agricultural Mechanization
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References and List of Abbreviations
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About the Contributors
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