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Importance of animal traction in Cuba Animal
power is a renewable and sustainable energy source for agriculture and
rural transport. Animal traction plays a significant role in the rural
economy of Cuba. It will remain important for smallholder farmers in the
Caribbean and Latin America for the foreseeable future. There was a time
when the technology was ignored, as planners and institutions thought
animals would be rapidly replaced by tractors. There is now significant
interest in animal traction in Cuba and elsewhere, but progress has been
limited by the relative isolation of professionals working in this
neglected field. There is potential to improve
systems for using animal draft power in Cuba, so benefiting the economy,
the people (men, women and children) and the work animals themselves.
Objectives
of the on-going research To understand and describe the present systems of using animal power in Cuba, to identify constraints and potential for greater productive and social benefits (affecting men, women and children), to develop capacity within Cuban institutions using participatory methods and synergetic networking cooperation, to address key issues and improve efficient use of work animals in Cuba as a power source complementary to motorised systems. Long
term benefits One
of the planned outputs in 2001 of the on-going research |
