Raichur farmers say no to using donkeys in fields

RAICHUR: How about engaging well-trained donkeys in farming instead of bullocks? Experiments show it is quite effective. But farmers of Raichur summarily reject the idea. For, they say it attracts ridicule from neighbours if they employ the “lazy and inferior” animal instead of the revered bullocks.

The department of farm machinery and power engineering of the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) started a project in 2002 to train donkeys in various agricultural activities. Four donkeys were purchased and trained in tilling, weeding fields and transporting agriculture produce.

Prof M Veeranagouda, head of the department, said donkeys are cheaper than bullocks - a pair of bullocks costs anywhere between `70,000 and `1 lakh while two donkeys can be bought for just `10,000.
“We developed a fresh set of  agriculture implements to suit the body of the donkey. We developed ploughs, blade harrows and carts. Later, we put those donkeys through training,” he said. “Initially, the donkeys did not move in a straight line while tilling. After a few days of training, the animal accustomed to the tilling”, he pointed out.

“We prepared seedbed and cut weeds in the fields of UAS (using the trained donkeys). The experiment was successful. As smaller implements are required to engage donkeys, their cost is lower compared to those used with bullocks”, he said.

Once the experiment succeeded, the university gave donkeys and the matching implements to farmers in five villages for free.

But that was as far as it went. A few months later, the farmers returned the donkeys along with the farm implements. The reason: Their neighbours mocked them for utilising the “inferior” animals instead of the much revered bullocks.

“Sir our neighbours are laughing at us for using donkeys. It is not for agriculture, sir. We cannot continue farming with donkeys Prof Veeranagouda quoted a farmer as saying.

No wonder the project ended in 2012.

In many African countries, the donkey is used in farming. But in India, people feel owning a donkey is not a symbol of pride as they are considered as “lazy”, which the professor says is a myth.