The Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA) is multi-disciplinary regional network that was formed in 1990 with the aim of improving information exchange and regional cooperation relating to animal draft power. It currently has networks in 12 countries – Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique and South Africa. ATNESA has been very instrumental in bringing various animal traction practitioners together for exchanges. The network aims to unite researchers, manufacturers, development workers, institutions and the users of animal traction in the region. Membership of the network is open to all individuals and organisations interested in its objectives.

The ATNESA steering committee, elected during major workshops, includes animal traction specialists from six countries in the region, as well as representatives of interested resource organisations. The committee initiates, coordinates and facilitates a variety of network arrangements.

ATNESA encourages the formation and operation of national animal traction networks, whether formal or informal. Responsibility for implementing ATNESA activities is delegated to these national networks and to ATNESA members in different countries. Based on the experiences of ATNESA and its national networks, guidelines relating to networking have been produced.

ATNESA, in collaboration with national networks and other organisations, has arranged international workshop on several themes including:

* Improving animal traction technology (Zambia, 1992)
* Gender issues in animal traction (Tanzania, 1992)
* Design, testing and production of animal-drawn carts (Zimbabwe, 1993)
* Weed control using animal power (Tanzania, 1993)
* Meeting the challenges of animal traction (Kenya, 1995)
* Improving donkey utilisation and management (Ethiopia, 1997)
* Conservation tillage with animal traction (Namibia, 1998)
* Empowering Farmers with Animal Traction in the 21st Century (South Africa, 1999)

More than 400 people from 40 countries have participated in ATNESA international workshops and several resource publications have been produced.