Selection and Farm Machinery Management

Chapter-one

Definition of mechanization:
Mechanization can be defined as the use of machinery to replace human or animal labor,
especially in agriculture and industry.
Farm Mechanization:
Farm mechanization means the use of machines for conducting agricultural operations, replacing
the traditional methods which involve human and animal labor. Farm mechanization is one of the
packages of green revolution technology. Farm mechanization implies the use of mechanical
technology in the varied farming operations like sowing, harvesting, thrashing, leveling,
watering spraying, and weeding, etc. farm mechanization includes:
Chemical technology:
It refers to the use of chemical fertilizers, sprays, pesticides, etc. to enhance productivity and
protect the plants.

Hydrological Technology:
It refers to the use of machinery in the irrigation process, like tube wells.
Mechanical Technology:
It refers to the use of machinery in cultivation, like tractors, thrashers, bulldozers, etc. when all
the farming operations are done by machines displacing animal labor, it is called complete
mechanization. When machines are used along with traditional methods of cultivation, it is called
partial mechanization.
Benefits of agricultural mechanization

Agricultural mechanization, agricultural areas to develop all kinds of agricultural produce and
agricultural products evaluation process to fulfill objectives used with all kinds of energy
sources, mechanical tools and equipment design, construction development, distribution,
marketing, publishing, education, operation and use-related issues is included. Agricultural
mechanization is a production technology.

Agricultural produce and agricultural products evaluation process to fulfill objectives used with
all kinds of energy sources, mechanical tools and equipment design, construction development,
distribution marketing, publishing, education, operation and use-related issues is included.
Agricultural mechanization is a production technology. In some countries, different levels of
mechanization and application development are. This difference can be monitored, especially in
the agricultural business. In other words, mechanization, agricultural business in each business,
depending on the technological and economic structure is being implemented at different levels.
Benefits of agricultural mechanization
To enable the new technology in production applications
Production is dependent on natural conditions as possible to recover and to get more
qualified products.
Manufacturing operations in the most appropriate time to complete, without delay to
avoid losses resulting product
 Working conditions in rural areas more comfortable, attractive and safe to bring a case
and agricultural workers to improve work efficiency
On the one hand, increase in agricultural products, on the other hand, developments in
agricultural tools industry with the opening of new jobs to the area to allow.
Human and animal agricultural operations cannot be achieved with power to machine
power, and new areas for agriculture and managed to make up.
Agricultural mechanization is some disadvantages.
All agricultural inputs for the largest share of mechanization have entered the car.
Scale mechanization is an important application, business plan creates installed
costs.
Excessive mechanization result, unemployment in rural areas may increase.
Unplanned result of mechanization, the balance between agriculture and industry
sectors in the agricultural sector against damageable.
Usually based on vehicle fuel energy Mechanization works. Negatively impact the
country's overall energy balance plan for mechanization
Limitations of farm mechanization in West Africa do not include

A. land fragmentation

B. high capital investment

C. availability of spare parts

D. high level technical know-how

Correct Answer: Option A

LEVEL OF MECHANIZATION

Mechanization in any area is characterized into three levels: low, fair, and high.

Low mechanization level means that manual power used exceeded 33%.
Fair means that animal power utilization ranges from 34% to 100%.
High means that mechanical power utilization ranges from 67% to 100% (Rodulfo, et. al, 1998).

Table 1 shows the level of mechanization in rice and corn farming operations, expressed in three main
sources of power, namely: manual, man-animal and mechanical. The data shows that human power
dominates farm operations at an average of 56.53%. Mechanical operations are applied mainly in milling,
threshing or shelling, land preparation, and planting. Animals continue to dominate land preparation. Sun
drying is still preferred by farmers. In terms of available power expressed as horsepower per hectare
(hp/ha), the level of mechanization stands at 1.68 hp/ha (Table 2). This is relatively low compared with
other neighboring countries. The reason for this is the abundance of manual labor, which dominates the
use of human power in rice and corn cultivation activities. The high hp/ha of power tillers and threshers
indicate that the use of mechanical power in land preparation and threshing is increasing. Irrigation,
harvesting, and drying have low hp/ha level.
Compared with other Asian countries, the Philippines ranks 9 th in terms of level of mechanization at 0.52
hp/ha in 1990 (Table 3). This again is very low compared with Japan at 7.00 hp/ha, Republic of Korea at
4.11 hp/ha, and Peoples Republic of China at 3.88 hp/ha (RNAM, 1994)

In terms of rice production, RNAM report indicates that the Philippines ranks eighth and sixth of 11
countries in terms of mechanization level and production per hectare. Korea toped the list followed by
China both based on total power source. China and Korea ranked first and second, respectively in terms
of production per hectare (Table 4).

AMDP (1998) did a correlation analyses to determine the possible relationship between the two variables.
The computed linear coefficient of 0.7645 shows a degree of relationship between the level of
mechanization (independent variable) and the production per hectare (dependent variable). However, it
does not explain how the level of mechanization affects the production per hectare since there are other
factors that could affect production per unit hectare such as farm inputs application and farmers
capability to increase inputs.

1) Definitions

Agricultural Mechanization embraces the use of tools, implements and machines for agricultural land
development, crop production, harvesting, preparation for storage, storage, and on-farm processing. It
includes three main power sources: human, animal, and mechanical. The manufacture, distribution, repair,
maintenance, management and utilization of agricultural tools, implements and machines is covered
under this discipline with regard as to how to supply mechanization inputs to the farmer in an efficient
and effective manner.

Hand tool technology is the simplest and most basic level of agricultural mechanization: the use of tools
and simple implements using human muscle as the main power source.

Draught animal technology refers to implements and machines utilizing animal muscle as the main
power source.

Mechanical power technology is the highest technology level in agricultural mechanization. It embraces
all agricultural machinery which obtains its main power from other sources other than muscular power.

Limitations of mechanization in agriculture

Economic limitation
Technical know-how
Small holdings
Seasonality of farm operations.
Economic limitation: farmers are generally poor. Most of the cannot afford to purchase farm
machines like tractors, ploughs, harrows, etc.
Technical know-how: most farmers do not know how to operate these machines. Being illiterates,
they cannot even read the directives attached to the implement. They cannot affect repair when there
is breakdown of machines.
Small holding: as a result of small area of land cultivated, it is not economical for farmers with such
small land to buy a tractor and other farm implement.
 Seasonality of farm operation: agriculture being seasonal means that the machine will have to be
left unused for some parts of the year. These machines can rust and get damaged.