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Patterns
of adoption not straightforward
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Population
density, incomes, cultures, topography, climate, farming systems,
transport needs and project activities all affect the success of promotional
programmes. Complex combinations of environmental and socio-economic
factors, together with fickle human reactions, influence transport
adoption. |
Within
any country, adoption of transport solutions is not homogeneous. Some
differences can be attributed to variations in population density,
cultures, topography, climate, farming systems, transport needs and
project influences. Motorcycles are found mainly in rich, high-density
areas, donkeys in dry zones and hills, while handcarts and wheelbarrows
are most common in urban and peri-urban areas. In other respects,
the distribution of intermediate means of transport appears random.
This may be due to differences in human inventiveness, entrepreneurial
skills, personal preferences,fashions and simple 'chance'. Community
reaction to innovations is influenced by many social, cultural and
economic factors,with many 'random' or 'chaotic' chance elements. |
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Hand carts used by fishermen in Nicaragua
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Cycle taxi in Cuba
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Tricycles of different types are used in most regions of the world.
They are often used by small-scale transport operators in urban and
peri-urban areas where roads are good and transport demand is high.
Cycle-rickshaws (load behind operator) are common in parts of South
Asia, while 'cyclos' (load in front of operator) are found in Southeast
Asia. These technologies vary between countries and are not uniformly
distributed within countries. There is an increasing use of tricycle
taxis in Cuba (where there are several different designs), Peru and
elsewhere in Latin America. Tricycles have not been widely adopted
in Africa, but bicycle taxis fulfill a similar transport niche in
East Africa. |
In Madagascar, ox carts
with wooden spoked wheels are common, but cartwheels are now seldom
encountered on the African mainland. Animal-drawn sledges are common
in Madagascar and eastern and southern Africa. Such sledges are seldom
seen in West Africa.
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Ox cart in Madagascar
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Motorcycle with sidecar in the Philippines
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Motorcycles with sidecars
are common in the Philippines, but not in other countries. Men and
women are riding mopeds in Burkina Faso, Benin and Togo but this is
uncommon in Guinea, Ethiopia and Tanzania. Power tillers pull trailers
in south Asia, but this is not yet common in Africa.
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India has 14 million ox carts. Ethiopia
counts 14 million work oxen and five million donkeys, but very few
carts. In Madagascar and Cuba oxen pull carts. Cows, rather than oxen,
pull carts in Portugal and Romania. |
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