The report is divided in 12 sections. The first section is introductory. The second section presents research on animal health of working animals. Diversified uses of animal traction including animal-powered rice-huller, weed control are discussed in the 3rd section. The fourth section looks into harnessing and implements used in the different regions of West Africa. The management and nutrition of working animals is discussed in the fifth and sixth sections.

This paper compares the conclusions drawn from ILCA's work on single-ox and cow traction in Africa with those drawn from surveys and farmers' experience in South East Asia especially Thailand and Bangladesh. The ILCA work shows cow traction to be apparently more profitable than single-ox ploughing and both better than pair-ox ploughing. This paper throws some doubt on these conclusions and indicates that cow traction may cause problems by requiring larger amounts of high quality feed.

This introductory paper raises general issues and poses questions that are pursued in the other papers. The initial premise of this paper is that impact cannot be discussed in isolation from the broader context of research and development and the overall priorities guiding the centres research, training, and networking activities.

As the problems of impact assessement are rather intractable, a fairly simple dual approach is proposed. First the major components of environmental impact of current agricultural production systems in Africa (i.e. impact of cropping, livestock keeping, fuelwood and timber extraction and burning) are summarised. Second, "danger zones" in which current and future environmental impacts will be most severe and on which ILCA has focused its problem solving-research is identified.

As the problems of impact assessement are rather intractable, a fairly simple dual approach is proposed. First the major components of environmental impact of current agricultural production systems in Africa (i.e. impact of cropping, livestock keeping, fuelwood and timber extraction and burning) are summarised. Second, "danger zones" in which current and future environmental impacts will be most severe and on which ILCA has focused its problem solving-research is identified.

Presents papers discussing the potential for impacts within ILCA's organisational framework and mandate. The introductory paper raises general issues and poses questions that are pursued in the other papers. These papers address the environmental, economic and social components of impact within the organisation. Case studies on ILCA's research on tenure policy and alley farming, forage legumes, animal traction, milk processing, hay making and studies on pricing policies, technology generation and ILCA's research networks are presented in the papers.