Farm Mechanisation Flashcards
Q. Define farm mechanisation and also mention some key facts about it .
Ans : - Refers to the development and use of machines that can replace human and animal power in Agricultural processes.
- Agricultural mechanisation in India is 47% ( China:59.5% and Brazil:75%).
- States like UP, Haryana and Punjab have very high mechanisation levels, but NE states have negligible mechanisation.
- DBT Portal under the dept. of agriculture and farmers welfare acts as a single window for clearance to approve equipment/machines procurement by individual farmers/custom hiring centres.
Q. What is the significance of farm mechanisation?
Ans: 1. Increase productivity and profit.
2. Improved quality of crop.
3. Reduces work burden and increases efficiency .
4. Aid in outward migration of educated youth.
5. Promotes sustainable agriculture.
Q. What are some challenges in farm mechanisation?
Ans : 1. The slow pace in mechanisation : Currently, there is no engineering workforce to demonstrate, train, help in repairs, maintenance and guide farmers at their door step.
2. Lack of formal study : to assess the farm mechanisation of the country .
3. Lack of formal education on Agri-engineering .
4. Lack of access to power : Punjab has a power availability of 6 kW per hectare compared to Mizoram, with 0.7 kW per hectare.
5. Other challenges : low awareness, limited R&D, shortage of skilled workers, low income of farmers etc.
Q. What are some initiatives taken by the govt to improve farm mechanisation?
Ans 1. Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM) - to assist the state govts in providing training and demonstration of agricultural machinery and equipment.
2. Custom hiring centres (CHCs) : through which cooperatives and farmers producers organisation subsidies are provided .
3. States like Kerala, TN & MP provide farmers with farm machinery at concessional rates.
Q. What are recommendations/way forwards for the farm mechanisation?
Ans : 1. Focus on low-cost small equipment: to meet the needs of the small and marginal farmers.
2. Setting up ancillary units.
3. Recognition as an industry : recognising farm equipment manufacturing as a separate industry .
4. Encourage local innovations .
5. Ease of financing : like KCC, term loan procedures may be simplified with minimum documentation.
Q. What are some other initiatives taken by the govt for the agriculture sector ?
Ans : 1. Weather information network data systems (WINDS) portal : hosts, manages, and processes hyper-local weather data at taluk/block and gram panchayat levels.
2. Yield estimation system, based on technology (YES-TECH) manual
3. Door to door enrollment app AIDE/Sahayak : ensured a seamless and transparent process, making crop insurance more accessible and convenient for farmers .
