BSAG-408: Farm Power & Machinery
PCTE Group of Institutes, Ludhiana
FARM MECHANIZATION
Mechanized agriculture is the process of using agricultural machinery to
mechanize the work of agriculture, greatly increasing farm worker productivity. The
effective mechanization contributes to increase production in two major ways: firstly the
timeliness of operation and secondly the good quality of work. The requirement of power
for certain operations like seedbed preparation, cultivation and harvesting becomes so
great that the existing human and animal power in the country appears to be inadequate.
As a result, the operations are either partially done or sometimes completely neglected,
resulting in low yield due to poor growth or untimely harvesting or both.
SCOPE OF MECHANIZATION
It is quite true that the Indian farmers have the lowest earnings per capita because
of the low yield per hectare they get from their holdings. One of the few important means
of increasing farm production per hectare is to mechanize it. Mechanization in India may
have to be done at various levels. Broadly, it can be done in three different ways:
1) By introducing the improved agricultural implements on small size holdings to be
operated by bullocks.
2) By using the small tractors, tractor-drawn machines and power tillers on medium
holdings to supplement existing sources.
3) By using the large size tractors and machines on the remaining holdings to
supplement animal power source.
But many people are of the opinion that Indian agriculture cannot be fully
mechanized. Only the improved animal-drawn implements should be introduced. It is felt
that
1. There is a surplus of agricultural labour in India.
2. There are enough draft animals available in the country to do the farm work
effectively.
3. The size of farm holdings of the majority of the Indian farmers is too small to
justify the use of a tractor on their farms.
4. The investing capacity, of the farmers is too poor to buy a tractor and tractor-
drawn implements.
5. The technical know-how of the people in the country is low.
6. In the absence of suitable farm road system, the tractor and tractor-drawn
machines cannot be effectively utilized under the present conditions.
7. It will not be possible to increase the yield by using mechanical power.
8. Mechanization will not result in lowering the cost of production.
9. It will not be possible to mechanize every bit of farm operation.
10. A large labour force will get displaced from agriculture.
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BSAG-408: Farm Power & Machinery
PCTE Group of Institutes, Ludhiana
History indicates that the development in farm mechanization is very closely
related to the shortage of human labour and industrial development in the country. Farmers
of India like their counterparts in other countries are interested to improve their income,
life style and general well-being. They see mechanization as a means for achieving their
objectives. In spite of the limitations with which they exist, their performance has been
noteworthy. There is a positive correlation between application of improved technologies
and the land productivity.
Direct correlation of higher productivity with higher Mechanization level
The technical know-how of the people in the country is quite satisfactory. It always
develops with the opportunities and experience. The repair, maintenance and overhaul
facilities for tractors and other machines are expanding, even in the small towns, with the
expansion of rural electrification in the country.
Drudgery and physical exertion are typical of much Indian agriculture today. It scares
away men of intelligence and ability from agriculture. All people would favour
minimizing this to a considerable extent. The development of improved riding type animal
drawn machines can improve the present condition, but they cannot be a substitute for the
tractor- drawn machines. By using mechanical power, man will be able to control larger
areas and as such his family members will get more free time.
More power is essential in carrying out operations effectively at the right time and
for changing the attitudes and uplifting the social status and dignity of those who work in
agriculture. There are three ways in which progress can be made towards increased power,
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BSAG-408: Farm Power & Machinery
PCTE Group of Institutes, Ludhiana
all of which must be worked on simultaneously in combination with integrated and
matched implements.
1) By improving bullock harness and hitches;
2) By developing and introducing small tractors;
3) By increasing the number of large horsepower tractors.
These machines will be helpful in providing power efficiently for good seedbed
preparation, which is quite essential for maximizing the germination of the seed and
seedling growth. In addition to this, the mechanization of the following fields of
agriculture- is equally essential.
1) Shaping and levelling of farm fields for getting even distribution and depth of
irrigation water;
2) Development of planting and fertilizing machines to place the seed more precisely
in rows and to place the fertilizer correctly with respect to seed or plant;
3) Spraying and dusting machinery to apply chemicals for weed and pest control;
4) After production operations such as harvesting, threshing, winnowing and drying.
State of Mechanization: Agricultural system all over the world has undergone changes
in terms of cropping system, type of power sources used and application of inputs to
achieve high level of productivities. Even in India, mechanization of agriculture has
advanced considerably. In certain region, the level of mechanization has gone far ahead
of the average level in the country. Human and animal power sources are no longer the
predominant sources on Indian farms. The annual addition of tractor population is more
than one hundred thousand tractors. Similarly about the hundred thousand pump sets are
being installed on Indian farms annually. On the basis of annually critical review of the
mechanization position, one observes that the shortage of labour and high labour wages
are the factors which strongly propel mechanization. Consequently, the more labour
intensive operations, such as pumping of irrigation water, land preparation and
threshing are the first operations, which are mechanized. Large amount labour or draft
power, which can be replaced through machines, provides a strong incentive to
mechanize. The farm operations, which can be categorised as:
I. Highly power intensive operations,
II. Intermediate power and control intensive operations,
III. Highly control intensive operations.
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BSAG-408: Farm Power & Machinery
PCTE Group of Institutes, Ludhiana
Operation Highly Power Intermediate Highly Control
Intensive
Level Intensive
Water Pumping - -
Tillage - -
Direct Seeding - -
Transplanting - -
Weeding - -
Plant protection - -
Harvesting - -
Threshing - -
Milling - -
Transport - -
