Role of draft oxen power in Ethiopia agriculture
1998
Alemu Gebrewold (EARO, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia))
Ethiopia has a deverse topography and climatic conditions. It is predominantly an agricultural country, with 85% of its population employed in traditional agriculture. Cattle breeds came into Ethiopia Between 2750-2500 B.C. Records suggests that as early at 2000 B.C., domestic cattle were used for land cultivation. Ethiopia is considered the home of some of the most important cattle breeds in eastern mixed farming system, crop livestock integration varies greatly. In the highlands of Ethiopia it is highly integrated. In Ethiopian agriculture, cattle have multiple functions. They play a critical role in the agricultural intensification processes by providing draft power and manure for crop production. They are raised to supply food (milk and meat) and provide a flexible financial reserve in years of crop failure. Due to the rugged terrain and small farm size oxen have been and will remain the main source of draft power in the reconstruction and development of Ethiopian agriculture. However, with the present trend in population growth trends sustainability of the system in crucial. As a pair of oxen is needed to cultivate the back up stock required to maintain these oxen is neither effecient nor cheap. This may lead to crop-livestock competition rather than integration. This paper considers the feature of cattle in the different farming systems of the country. The focus is on the role that draft oxen power plays in Ethiopian agriculture and the integration of crop-livestock in the highlands.
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