Applications
Deep Bed Farming & hard ground
A compacted layer sits below the surface across much of southern and eastern Africa. Roots stop at it, rain runs off it, and the topsoil above it goes with the water. Hand hoes and ox ploughs work above that layer; they do not break it.
Breaking it takes a powered tool. On the AFT-e1 that is the rotary plough, which works to 30 cm in hard soil and sod, or the power ridger at the same depth over a 40 cm width. The tractor supplies 5 kW continuous through the PTO and about an hour and a half of continuous digging per charge. Deep beds are then formed on contour with ditches between them and planted with intercropped staples. Beds are not walked on, so the work is not repeated every season.
Depth comes from the tool
Rotary plough25 cm width · 30 cm depth · hard soil and sod
Power ridger40 cm width · 30 cm depth · ditching and banking
Rotavator68 / 80 cm width · 20–25 cm depth · seedbeds
Against the alternatives
Hand hoeShallow work only. Leaves the compacted layer intact.
Ox ploughFaster, same depth limit, and compacts further.
Diesel two-wheel tractorReaches depth, but needs fuel supply, servicing and spares.
Hired 4WD tractorAvailable on a contractor's schedule, not the season's.
Aftrak AFT-e1 + rotary plough30 cm depth, charged from solar or mains, no fuel.
What you need for this job
An Aftrak AFT-e1 and a rotary plough. 8 kW peak, 5.2 kWh, 30 cm working depth.
View the Aftrak AFT-e1See the rotary plough