Tropicultura (Jan 2003)
Petite motorisation et exploitations maraîchères de taille limitée du Sahel tunisien Partie 1: Etude diagnostique
Abstract
Low Power Mechanisation and Small-scale Vegetable Production in the Tunisian Sahel Region. Part 1: Inquiry. In this study, it was investigated to what extent low power mechanisation could be introduced in vegetable production in the Tunisian Sahel region by means of an inquiry held among local vegetable growers and at the mechanisation market. Data were collected as to acquire precise information on exploitation characteristics (number and area of the parcels, crops grown, adopted mechanisation, etc.) and on equipment available at the local market (type, power, etc.). The results demonstrated the predominance of small exploitations, which mainly consist of two separate parcels on which several crops are grown. Most exploitations were managed by young and well experienced farmers. Only soil preparation was found to be entirely mechanised. Mechanisation was mainly based on relatively large and high power tractors (typically more than 50 kW). The local machinery market of low power mechanisation was found to offer 5 to 7 kW motor hoes, 6 to 10.5 kW walking (two wheel) tractors and two types of small (four wheel) tractors of 12 and 16 kW. It was observed that equipment was available for all cultivation operations that are nowadays mechanised, while other operations as scuffling, ridging up, and phytosanitary treatments could still be mechanised.
