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India needs to introduce better equipment for each farming operation in order to reduce drudgery, to improve efficiency by saving on time and labour,
improve productivity, minimize wastage and reduce labour costs for each operation. Agricultural mechanisation in case of India is increasingly needed as:
(i) Due to shortage of labour for agricultural operations owing to rural-urban migration, shift from agriculture to services and rise in demand for labour in non-farm activities, there is need to use labour for agricultural operations judiciously, which makes a strong case for mechanisation of farming.
(ii) Indian agriculture has a high proportion of female workforce in both the cultivation and processing stages of farming. Therefore, ergonomically designed tools and equipment for reducing drudgery, enhancing safety and comfort and also to suit the needs of women workers would help in better adoption of technologies in agriculture.
Some important facts regarding mechanisation of the farm sector in India:
(i) Although India is one of the top countries in agricultural production, the current level of farm mechanisation, which varies across states, averages below 50 per cent as against more than 90 per cent in developed countries (Economic Survey 2015–16).
(ii) The farm mechanization in India has been growing at a rate of less than 5 per cent in last two decades (Economic Survey 2014–15).
(iii) Tractor penetration in the country is 38 per cent for large farmers (with more than 20 acres), 18 per cent for medium farmers (5–20 acres) and just around 1 per cent for marginal farmers. 40
(iv) The economic benefit of adoption of improved implements is about Rs. 83,000 crore per annum, which is only a small fraction of the potential (NITI Aayog, 2016).
(iv) Farm mechanisation has resulted in generating employment to rural youth and artisans for the production, operation, and maintenance of machines (Economic Survey 2013-14.
Two important and contemporary policy suggestions 41 may be given in this regard:
(i) Due to increased fragmentation of landholdings and low rates of tractor penetration among small farmers, there is need for a market in tractor rentals , akin to cars and road construction equipment, driven by private participation.
(ii) Appropriate farm equipment which are durable, light weight and low cost, region, crop and operation specific using indigenous/adapted technologies need to be made available for small and marginal farmers to improve productivity.