Agriculture mechanization is essential for enhancing farm operations and outcomes. It primarily focuses on improving precision, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, productivity, and profitability in farming. While reducing drudgery is a significant benefit, addressing the scarcity of farm labor and rising wage rates further drives the adoption of machines.
Despite its importance, farm mechanization in India remains low, officially recorded at 47%. This figure is considerably below China's 60% and Brazil's 75%. In agriculturally advanced countries, where land holdings are larger and fewer individuals are engaged in farming, over 95% of farm work is mechanized. While India may not need such high levels of mechanization, its current status is inadequate and requires improvement.
Farm mechanization is not restricted by farm size; it can benefit both small and large farms. A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture recommends increasing the use of machines, including small robots and artificial intelligence (AI), to support India's small and marginal farms, which account for nearly 86% of all farm holdings.
The advantages of farm mechanization are extensive. It can reduce labor requirements by 20-30%, decrease seed usage by 15-20%, enhance seed germination rates by 7-25%, and lower weed removal costs by 20-40%. Most importantly, mechanization can increase cropping intensity by 5-20%, leading to an overall crop yield improvement of 13-23%.
A panel has urged the government to expedite the process of farm mechanization, aiming for a 75% mechanization level much sooner than the proposed 25 years. This initiative is crucial for improving agricultural productivity.
Various factors influence farmers' decisions to mechanize, including their economic status, cropping patterns, water availability for irrigation, agro-ecological conditions, and access to credit and equipment subsidies. As a result, mechanization levels differ across regions.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) indicates varying mechanization levels across different operations and crops. For instance, seedbed preparation has over 70% mechanization, while wheat sowing reaches 65%. However, transplanting paddy and cotton harvesting remain predominantly manual tasks.
The possession of farm machinery has become a status symbol, leading some farmers to acquire equipment larger than necessary for their land, resulting in inefficient resource allocation. To address this issue, common facilities like custom-hiring centers and farm-machinery banks should be established to provide equipment as needed. Currently, there is insufficient progress in setting up such facilities, with approximately 38,000 custom-hiring centers and 17,700 farm-machinery banks in operation. Encouraging small and medium enterprises to develop small and simple machines could significantly boost agricultural mechanization in India.
Q1. What is the current level of farm mechanization in India?
Answer: The current level of farm mechanization in India stands at 47%, which is significantly lower than that of countries like China and Brazil.
Q2. How does mechanization benefit small farms?
Answer: Mechanization can enhance productivity, reduce labor costs, and improve efficiency even for small farms, which constitute a major part of India's agricultural sector.
Q3. What role does technology play in agriculture mechanization?
Answer: Technology, including AI and robotics, plays a crucial role in improving farm operations and increasing productivity on small and marginal farms.
Q4. What are the challenges of farm mechanization in India?
Answer: Key challenges include the high cost of machinery, inadequate infrastructure for equipment sharing, and varying economic conditions among farmers.
Q5. What initiatives can boost farm mechanization in India?
Answer: Establishing custom-hiring centers, providing subsidies, and promoting the development of small machinery by enterprises can significantly enhance mechanization.
Question 1: What is the current percentage of farm mechanization in India?
A) 30%
B) 47%
C) 60%
D) 75%
Correct Answer: B
Question 2: Which committee recommends the use of machines in small farms?
A) Agriculture Advisory Committee
B) Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture
C) National Agricultural Commission
D) Farm Equipment Commission
Correct Answer: B
Question 3: What is one major benefit of farm mechanization?
A) Increased labor costs
B) Enhanced seed germination
C) More manual labor
D) Decreased productivity
Correct Answer: B
Question 4: What is a common challenge faced by farmers regarding mechanization?
A) Abundant labor supply
B) Low equipment costs
C) Status symbol of machinery
D) Enhanced crop yield
Correct Answer: C
Question 5: What is suggested to improve access to farming equipment?
A) Reducing subsidies
B) Establishing custom-hiring centers
C) Limiting machine production
D) Increasing manual labor
Correct Answer: B
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