Availability and use of work animals in the middle Andean hill farming systems of Bolivia

摘要

Aparticipatoryruralappraisal(PRA)wasdesignedtoanalysecurrentavailabilityanduseofdraftanimalsinfarmingsystemsinthemiddleAndeanhills,andtopreparedetailedrecommendationsfordemand-leddraftanimalresearch.ThePRAwascarriedoutbetweenMayandOctoberof1996insixcommunitiesinthreeprovinces(Capinota,Ayopaya,Tiraque)oftheCochabambaRegioninBolivia.Theseprovinceswereselectedastheyrepresentthebroadspectrumofagro-ecologicalzones,socio-economiccircumstancesandworkanimalusagewithintheregion.ThePRAswerecarriedoutwithinacollaborativeframeworkoffarmers,localinstitutesandNGOs.Thepreparatorystudy,togetherwithaconfirmatoryworkshopwhichwasorganisedinOctober1996andattendedbycommunityrepresentatives,intermediateusersandscientists,clearlyidentifieddraftanimalhusbandry(animalhealth,feeding,diversificationofanimaluseandanimalhousing),implements(transport,soilcultivation,seeding,weedingandharvesting)andsoilandwaterconservation(equipmentandpracticeslinkedtofodderproduction)asmajorlimitingfactorsinthefarmingsystemswithinthetargetarea.