The West Africa Animal Traction Network (WAATN) has, since its inception in 1985, been encouraging the use of animal power within the farming systems of the region WAATN, an open, informal and multidisciplinary network, has promoted animal traction through various activities, including major workshops. These have allowed the exchange of information on many aspects of the wide-ranging topic of animal power.
The 1990 workshop, on which this present volume of proceedings is based, had the theme of "Research for the development of animal traction in West Africa". This theme was originally identified in May 1989, during an animal traction research protocol planning meeting held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The planning meeting was hosted by the International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA) and was attended by the WAATN steering committee as well as representatives of several national agricultural research organizations in Africa. The participants at this meeting noted that earlier workshops had had themes relating to animal power in farming systems and animal traction for agricultural development. It was therefore thought appropriate to have a workshop with a distinctly research-orientated theme, but one that did not ignore the importance of development issues in the region.
The workshop theme proved popular, and the workshop held in Kano, Nigeria, was attended by a wide spectrum of animal traction specialists from 19 countries in West Africa, eastern and southern Africa and Europe. The workshop was open to all concerned with animal traction in the region, and it was fitting that the 93 anglophone and francophone participants came from many different disciplines and interest-groups. There was an even balance between research-orientated contributors and those concerned more with development and extension. It was a specific objective of the workshop that people of widely differing roles and backgrounds should be brought together to critically review experiences, needs and methods in animal traction research, and highlight priorities for research-development initiatives.
The West African Animal Traction Network Steering Committee wishes to thank all organizations and donors who supported the 1990 workshop. Gratitude is due to the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR, based at Samaru) and the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI, base at Shika). These institutions which are part of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, acted as workshop hosts. Particular appreciation goes to the external resource organizations which provided vital sponsorship, including the International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA), the European Community (EC), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperative (CTA). Thanks also go to the local organizing committee in Nigeria which included scientists and supporting staff from the IAR, NAPRI, Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority and the ILCA office in Kaduna. The publication of these proceedings has been made possible by ILCA and the EC, and their support is fully acknowledged.
The steering committee hopes that this fourth volume in its series of WAATN workshop proceedings has raised salient issues for animal traction research, development and extension within the West African region. It is also hoped that the workshop conclusions and the many papers will be useful to those concerned with animal traction research and development in other areas.
The WAATN steering committee planned this preface when it met in Guinea in December 1992. This followed an invitation to WAATN to attend a demonstration and farmer-workshop on animal traction organized by the Réseau Guinéen sur la Traction Animale (RGTA). This national network was established with the assistance of the Association de Coopération Technique (ACT) and was strongly influenced by the proceedings of previous WAATN workshops.
During its planning in Guinea, the WAATN steering committee drew up an agenda for a series of further network meetings and workshops. However, the committee would like to stress that such formal activities are only the visible tip of the networking iceberg. Throughout the region, many individuals and organizations involved in animal traction are regularly engaged in study visits, information exchange, document circulation and research collaboration. Such continuing activities have resulted from previous network meetings and publications.
Finally, the committee of the West Africa Animal Traction Network takes this opportunity to welcome the formation of the Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA). WAATN proudly associates itself with ATNESA, which was formed soon after the Kano workshop, with goals similar to those of WAATN. The WAATN committee wishes this new network well and looks forward to useful networking collaboration with ATNESA.
West Africa Animal Traction Network Steering Committee
Kindia, Guinea, December 1992
Dayo PHILLIP, Nigeria
Adama FAYE, Senegal
Bai KANU, Sierra Leone
Kossivi APETOFIA, Togo
Gouyahali SON, Burkina Faso
Paul STARKEY, UK
James OLUKOSI, WAFSRN
Eb OLALOKU, ILCA
