This morning I read the announcement by the Director General of Rural Development and Land Reform, Thozi Gwanya, that small and rural farmers should revert to the proven method of ploughing with oxen. My first response was “oh, come on! This is 2010!!!”. While making coffee to recover from my initial shock I started to doubt my own response.
Why my initial shock? Well, it seems like going backwards to return to such an age-old method. But then, I have also
Indonesian farmer with ox and plough
visited several rural farms where land transfers are taking place, where farmers were sitting on un-used lands because they were waiting for a ‘tractor’ contractor. The same happens with small farmers supported by several municipalities. So in these cases, using oxen to plough would already be a step in the right direction. However, then the Director General motivates this advice on the basis that using a tractor to till a small piece of land will emit to many gases. I am not so sure that many poor farmers would just give up farming with a tractor on this argument alone….
Furthermore, the news article makes reference is made to India. Well, I have seen farmers ploughing with oxen in Thailand and Indonesia as well. As long as they can keep their production costs below market prices, I guess it is worth pursuing. A huge visible difference between Southern Africa and Asia is that farmers in Asia seem to get by with extremely little government support, agricultural extension and modern farming equipment.
OK, so now that I have my cup of coffee in my hands I am willing to reconsider my initial response. Perhaps the Director General should have said “instead of waiting on someone else, use oxen!”.
Can any of the readers of this blog with more experience in rural development perhaps comment or contribute on this issue?
Shawn Cunningham's Weblog 
February 3, 2010 at 9:11 am
It makes sense to me, actually. Leaving the land idle waiting for tractors is a bad idea when other methods are available. Sure, the oxen is an ancient technology. But it still works and is not nearly as capital intensive. Maybe even hitch the plough to a bakkie or something?
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February 3, 2010 at 9:25 am
Hi Michael,
I also think that generally one should use the land if you have it, and not wait for someone else. But then the DG commented that small farmers using tractors are contributing to CO2 emissions. Now that is a really silly argument from a contribution perspective! But the original argument I agree with.
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April 7, 2010 at 3:18 am
Hi Shawn,
I think on some scales the Ox and plough is highly appropriate. It is better for the soil in that you don’t get a clay pan forming through repetitive ploughing at the same depth as you would with a hand tractor; the hoof of the ox also aerates the soil and plunges organic matter and manure deep into the soil (a process that expensive modern machinery is trying to replicate); and most importantly an ox is self replicating (provided there is an available partner), and can be eaten or sold when its ploughing days are over. Now, I’m not advocating for the abolition of petro-input farming, but I do respect that there are horses for courses – so to speak.
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May 3, 2013 at 7:15 pm
Hi Shawn, I am interested in this, do you know of any courses, where to find equipment etc.
Regards
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May 14, 2013 at 5:17 pm
There is quite a bit of info here. http://www.tillersinternational.org/index.html
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May 24, 2013 at 8:56 am
Hi Johan,
Did you see the post by Paul Perrin about more information?
Regards,
Shawn
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