Hand hoe agriculture is slowing agriculture transformation in Africa according to studies.  While there may be some local concern about the loss of farming jobs if mechanization is used, we will show how this transformation occurred in the U.S. with little or no impact on the lives of farmers in the farming sector.

Every town in rural America had a blacksmith shop like the one you see below.  These early blacksmith shops were involved in making horseshoes, horse drawn plows, and buggies. Through the mid 1900’s, all rural farm communities had blacksmith shops that serviced farmers in the local community. These shops typically included a drill press, table saw, band saw, and grinder which were all driven off one single electric motor, connected to each piece of equipment with an elaborate system of overhead pulleys, sheaves and drive belts.

Many people are fearful of change, such as might be in the case of farming in Africa.  Will small farmers be put out of work and lose their means of income if things are mechanized? This fear cannot be dismissed, but I believe that there is nothing to fear here. Change takes time and should be plenty of opportunities to make the transition.  For example, in the year 1900, the average farm size was 59 hectares of land.  124 years later, the average farm size is 187 hectares. What I have seen in my own lifetime is that when farmers finish with their work in old age, many of their children leave the farming life, and find other means of income in industry.  The smaller farms are consolidated with larger ones where a single farmer can operate a larger plot by using mechanized equipment.  This kind of transition increases the overall efficiency of food production, with an overall benefit to society.  Again, welding is a critical skill in the manufacture and maintenance of farm equipment.