Although the donkey is indigenous to the Northeast part of Africa, its use on the continent as a whole is limited. The donkey is probably most appreciated in its true home, in arid and mountainous areas, where it is used most extensively. It is widely acknowledged that these animals can play a major role in rural development.
The steady speed of a donkey’s walk is what makes it so popular as a pack animal or for pulling small carts. When properly harnessed and hitched, it is also fairly fast at ploughing. The intelligence of a donkey is often underestimated. A donkey is easy to manage once the animal knows what to do and recognises the appropriate verbal commands. When a donkey refuses to work, it is almost always because the work is impossible for the animal, not because it is “stubborn”.
Version 2, 2004