Animal power for weed control in Kaoma District, Zambiadrew K Muma Animal power for weed control in Kaoma District, Zambia by

Kaoma District, Zambia, has a high agricultural potential. However, this is not being exploited fully, particularly due to a shortage of labour for weeding. The Western Province Animal Draught Power Programme has been supporting the spread of animal-powered weeding in the district through training of extension staff and farmers, organising demonstrations of weeding technology and by stimulating trade in implements. After field tests/demonstrations and farmer acceptance tests the ridger was selected as a potential weeder in preference to a cultivator. This was because a ridger can be used both on flat and ridged land. A ridger is able to cover weeds and top-dress fertiliser immediately after its application, is robust and requires only minor adjustment whilst in operation and can also be used as a primary tillage implement. The use of weeders doubled to over 100 farmers in less than two years. These new adopters favoured weeding using animals for reasons other than the reduction in cost of weeding. During demonstrations farmers stressed the advantage of ‘speed’, and the ability of the weeder to combine weed control with fertiliser coverage. Weeding is a major constraint to the expansion of the cultivated area by farmers. However, access to draft animal power has not increased the area cultivated due to external economic constraints which have had a negative effect on crop production