A significant proportion of agricultural tasks involve moving equipment and materials from one place to another. Implements and tools, inputs such as fertilizers and seeds and farm produce must all be moved between fields, stores, homesteads and markets, which results in a wide variety of types and sizes of loads to be moved over different distances and types of terrain. A range of different methods of transport, equipment and material handling exists to carry out these tasks in different ways to suit different circumstances.

Loads may be carried out by hand, on the head or back, using pack animals, carts or mechanised such as self loading trucks. The focus, however, is limited to the use of draught animals either as pack or in pulling sledges, carts and wagons for transporting people and goods, including harnessing (see diagram below) (Reference: IT.1985).

Animal based transport is very common in rural and peri-urban areas where draught animals are used for farming.

In general, transport requirements fall into two categories:

• On-farm - movement of goods between field, store and household. This includes transport of farm produce and inputs as well as collection of firewood and water for domestic purposes. Loads are usually small and distances short and usually carried out by women in most societies. However, men will always come in whenever there is a better means of transport such as animal carts. Routes are mainly narrow paths and earth tracks.
• Off farm - movement of goods between farm and markets. Loads are generally greater and distances longer.