The following documents are in PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Human Powered Garden Carts : Appropriate Farm Transportation

Human and Animal Powered Transport in Rural Communities in Sub-Saharan Africa - by R.A. Dennis-I.T. Transport Ltd.,UK

Human and Draught Animal Power In Crop Production - Experiences, Present Status and Research Priorities - Proceedings of the Harare Workshop, Zimbabwe, 18-22 January 1993

A Bicycle-Wheel Handcart: Applications, Development, Testing, and Dissemination in Sub-Sahara Africa

The Nation - Profile 21, August 25, 2000

Re-inventing the wheel in Western Kenya

Hand cart to ease workload - July 24, 2000

Design Features - Livingstonia cart

Letter from MPOPI Trading Center

Factors allowing for rapid dissemination of the wood-framed bicycle-wheel handcart in SSA.

1. Wood structure (Frame and Body) - Hand hewn wood planks are widely available and relatively affordable throughout much of SSA.

2. Bicycle wheels, actually the components from which they are built, are (in SSA) the most common and cheapest wheel available and suitable for handcart construction.

3. Spares for wheels, including tires and tubes, as well as hubs, spokes and hub components, are available throughout SSA, even in remote rural trading centers.

4. Construction is simple, and any carpenter can build a cart using the simplest of common woodworking tools.

5. Repair and modification of wooden handcarts by local carpenters is easy.

6. Repair of bicycle wheels is easy, with many bicycle mechanics available.

NOTE: Similar handcart designs, utilizing bicycle (or used moped and motorcycle) wheels, but welded steel frames, are in widespread but infrequent use throughout SSA. Factory-built independent-wheel carts with welded steel frames are widespread in Europe and Asia. They demonstrate the utility of the basic design. However, due to the economic factors precluding the widespread use of steel handcarts in SSA, such carts have not been widely adopted there.

Mercury Poisoning Project