Members of the Appropriate Scale Mechanization Consortium (ASMC) led the first hands-on training at their field training hub in Burkina Faso from September 5-16, 2016. It brought together smallholder farmers, local artisans and university students. The workshop was conducted by team members from Michigan State University in cooperation with Tillers International and was funded by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Sustainable Intensification.
In Burkina Faso, traditional yokes are still being used to team pairs of oxen. “These yokes are narrow, concentrating the pulling forces on a small area on the neck of the oxen, making long work days difficult and painful,” Elsa Kanner, Tillers International employee, said. Another problem facing farmers in this area is training. The animals are most receptive to training at a young age, but farmers are waiting until they are mature to begin the process. These factors combined make for uncooperative oxen, which require 2-3 workers to handle. The practice is, therefore, more labor intensive and expensive than it could be with improved training techniques and modern yokes.
These old practices for yoke design and animal handling are not conducive to farm intensification that will benefit farmers economically and physically. Gentler animal training and more modern yokes would make the jobs of these farmers easier because the animals would be more willing to work. The ASMC and many farmers in Burkina Faso realize that improved animal-husbandry and yoke-construction techniques will lead to more intensified production with higher yields.
The goals for this training session were to demonstrate and teach gentle and responsive oxen-training techniques, introduce the training of oxen as young calves at three months of age and teach how to make yokes designed for specific oxen and tasks to allow the animals to supply tractive power throughout the day without injury under the handling of only one farmer. These changes would not only improve productivity, but ease the physical burden of farmers and handlers to improve livelihoods.
The trainees were broken up into two groups, and participated in a four-day training workshop. Both groups contained farmers that were selected based on region, artisans from various areas who sell agricultural equipment to farmers and students from the Institute of Rural Development at Polytechnic University of Bobo-Dioulasso.
“Our goal from the outset has been to involve both men and women farmers, extension educators, students and local artisans, as well as other stakeholders in the training and learning process,” Tim Harrigan, professor at Michigan State University, said. “This develops a participatory approach.”
Participants were uncertain at the beginning of the training, but they soon learned of success with new practices in short classroom learning sessions every morning. During these lessons, participants were able to observe the outcomes of improved yokes and animal-husbandry practices in the U.S., Mozambique, Uganda and other areas. These very short classes, combined with practical hands-on training caused their attitudes to shift, and everyone was eager to learn.
“As soon as construction on the yokes began, as well as an icebreaker of driving people like oxen, everyone was working together, translating for each other, taking notes and enjoying the time,” Kanner said.
In a short period, everyone was having fun getting to know each other while they worked. Everyone involved in the workshop ate lunch together every day. Laughter and lunchtime chatter brought the team closer together and gave everyone a chance to relax after a labor-intensive morning. Participants and leaders also took coffee and tea breaks throughout the day and got to know the plot owner, Mr. Ly, and his family.
“This training was even more successful than we expected at the onset,” Dr. Vinsoun Millogo, a member of the ASMC in Burkina Faso who attended this workshop, said. “Every participant is going to make a yoke and train his or her oxen. The next steps are to share this with more people and continue to check animal health, feeding of oxen and use appropriate equipment.”
At the end of the training, the attendees had crafted about 20 new yokes that will help farmers improve precision, planting and weeding and help to intensify crop production. The new yokes are more flexible than the old and will be more comfortable for the oxen, making them more willing to cooperate.
“At the end of the workshop, everyone went home with a lot of knowledge and happiness,” Millogo said.
Video of the training can be seen here.
Produced By Amy Frankel
Agricultural Communications Intern
Appropriate Scale Mechanization Consortium
