Mawuli Tse*
n innovative entrepreneur from New Bedford, Massachusetts, hit upon the idea after reading an article about the farming problems people face in sub-Saharan Africa. The article described the difficulties African faced by farmers in obtaining farming equipment, and the efforts of one foundation to raise donations for purchasing tractors for Africa. Robert Gibbons thought he could combine this pressing need with a longtime ambition to build a simple, economical tractor.
And that is exactly what he has done. The Tructor™ was unveiled last May and demonstrated on a small farm in Fall River, a town on the Massachusetts coast. As its name suggests, the Tructor combines the carting abilities and speed of a truck with the ruggedness and versatility of a tractor. As Mr. Gibbons describes it, farmers in developing countries have the resources to purchase several specialized pieces of equipment for various tasks, but their counterparts in developing countries have difficulty obtaining any one item for their needs. The Tructor provides a cost-effective solution for such farmers because in one investment they will be able cultivate more land and also have the means to carry their produce to the market.
Gibbons sees basic mechanization as "a significant missing link in African agricultural development." He compares the Tructor to the Model T Ford truck of the 1920s, which he describes as "a multi-purpose tractor and transport for American peasant farmers, leading to the tremendous take-off in agricultural productivity that enabled American industrial leadership."
Features
The Tructor delivers the power of a standard 40 horsepower farm tractor capable of plowing, cultivating, and harvesting. It is equipped with a unique three-point hitch mechanism for lifting an pulling up to 1,000-pound plows, rotary mowers, and other equipment. One feature which will go along way in making the Tructor more acceptable in Africa is the Lister diesel engine, which can be found virtually everywhere on the continent. This makes the vehicle more serviceable and reduces the training required for operators and mechanics. The engine is air-cooled and hand-started, eliminating the need for a complex water cooling system and a motorized starter mechanism.
On the "truck" side, there is seating for up to three people on the wide bench of the cab, and all controls, such as the hydraulic dumpster mechanism and the hitch lifts, are readily accessible. The truck bed can carry loads up to one-ton, and is shaped for easy loading and unloading.
The design of the dumpster allows the operator a clear view of the back of the Tructor. This allows him or her to control the level of the hitch as needed. According to Rusty Duponte, an experienced farm machinery operator and team member, it is possible for a single operator to drive and plow at the same time, but the job is better done by two people because of the attention needed in working the mechanical controls.
Based on the materials and services used in its construction, the cost of the Tructor prototype was estimated at about $14,000 (excluding labor). This is significantly lower than comparably sized models on the market, but the actual production cost is expected to remain low, after accounting for markups and economies of scale. The manufacturers estimate market prices between $15,000 and $30,000 depending on options and sizes.
Background
From the beginning of the project, Gibbons and his team have focused on a simple robust design, easily replaced standard parts, and ease of use. Their dedication to detail is apparent in the logical placement of controls; most of the functions can be performed without the need for detailed instructions. For example, a single manual hydraulic pump is used to operate the Tructor's dumpster as well as the hitch. By flipping a mechanical switch, the operators can raise or lower the plow or release a load of manure. The position of the switch indicates which equipment is active—forward for the dumpster and backwards for the hitch.
To be sure, part of the reason why specialized vehicles have not been developed for small scale farmers in developing countries is that land holdings are usually small, and the farming methods do not lend themselves easily to mechanization. For example, yams in West Africa are traditionally grown in mounds, with each vine supported on a vertical pole. Tending to a yam farm requires individual attention to each plant. Only recently have new methods been developed by researchers to grow yams without many of these requirements. It remains to be seen whether such developments will support the move towards mechanized farming through initiatives such as the Tructor.
Participants in the Development Process
Mr. Gibbons and his colleagues developed plans for the Tructor in the 1980s, while he was president of the Diesel Auto and Tractor Association (DATA), a trade group. Initial discussions with the World Bank in 1985 fell through after difficulties in determining the location of production facilities.
The current incarnation of the Tructor took ten years in preparing, including design, patenting, planning, and prototype fabrication. The prototype was built by a multi-disciplinary team led by Bob Gibbons and Brenda Gibbons, Director of the Easterly Company. Gerry Wheeler III was the principal fabricator of the prototype. Other participants were Carl Adams, a tractor designer, Jay Hansberry, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts, Rusty Duponte, a tractor technician, and Ron Waclawik, a design engineer.
Among the people involved with building the Tructor were Dr. Jay Hansberry, a former race car builder and professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Massachusetts. Facilities were provided by the R.J. Mitchell Co., an engine dealership and workshop which has also agreed to manufacture the Tructor. Robert Gibbons explained that negotiations are still being worked out with other potential suppliers as the vehicle moves into production.
Perhaps the team member most deeply involved in building the prototype was Gerry Wheeler, a recent graduate from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth who wrote his bachelors thesis on the Tructor and spent time researching the Tructor design, going to such details as the choice of color, length of travel for the controls, and regulating noise levels during operation.
On hand for the prototype demonstration was Dr. Lewis Campbell, the World Bank's Senior Rural Engineer for Africa. Dr. Campbell has spent many years working with farmers and agriculture specialists throughout Africa, and expressed support for the Tructor concept and said that field testing would be needed in the near future to enhance the design and make any necessary improvements to increase its acceptance among potential users.
Potential Applications
Part of Bob Gibbons' strategy is to find a market niche which major agricultural manufacturers have ignored. Most of the available equipment is either designed for small home gardens or for very large farms. It is unlikely that any of the major manufacturers such as John Deere, International Harvester, Massey Ferguson, or Ford will focus on the African farmer in the same way.
Gibbons quotes a UN survey which estimates demand for tractors in developing countries at 1.5 million units by the year 2000. In addition to the US, production facilities are also planned for Puerto Rico, South Africa, and Brazil.
There is also potential demand for the combination vehicle in the US among small scale farmers, municipal and state government maintenance units, and parks authorities. These institutions usually need smaller vehicles for brush cutting, haulage, hole digging, and other operations with small work crews.
Expectations
Several models of the Tructor are planned, ranging from a low-end model of 26 HP and 177-to-1 final drive ratio, to a 46 HP model with powered hydraulics, lights, electric start, and an enclosed cab. The higher models are targeted to the US municipal and utility markets, which would have higher budgets and the need for cold weather protection.
Gibbons and his team plan to begin testing in Africa, possibly through the World Bank. Mr. Campbell of the World Bank stressed the importance of field testing and agreed to work with the Easterly Company in seeking suitable test sites. Other arrangements for field testing are also being explored.
The Task is Far From Over
The Tructor is designed with the dumpster located between the operator and the hitch. This may make it difficult to perform both loading and tilling functions at the same time. While plowing, for example, the operator must assess how far the plow is tilling and adjust the level based on the terrain. The truck bed may obscure the view and make this task more difficult. Another potential difficulty with the Tructor is that two operators are needed; one to drive and another to operate the hydraulic lift. It would be useful to consider a future option allowing one operator to perform both functions.
This is not the first time a vehicle has been specifically designed for the African agricultural market. In 1988, a British designer developed "Africar," a robust utility vehicle with high clearance, wooden body, and simple construction which would sell for only $1,000 (see ATF Volume 1 No. 2). Although the design had many useful features, it was difficult to obtain financial backing for the project, and it eventually faltered without entering major production. Tructor's designers have been careful to stick with standard components for their vehicle, but must be aware of some of the financial hurdles ahead. The company must still raise about $10 million to begin full-scale production.
A critical component in making sure the vehicle is accepted by users would be to involve African designers who are familiar with local conditions early in the development process. This not only creates a sense of "ownership" by the users, but also ensures that technology transfer does take place with the opportunity for further innovation. Robert Gibbons is keenly interested in collaborating with agricultural and mechanical research institutions in Africa to gather input and test prototypes of the Tructor.
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* Mawuli Tse is Editor-in-Chief of ATF.
For further information contact Robert Gibbons, President, The Easterly Company/TRUCTOR Inc., P. O. Box 537, Marion, Massachusetts 02738, USA. Phone (508)748-1200, Fax (508)748-1776.