Q.43 “Farm mechanisation is not only the need of the hour but it has potential of giving high dividends to a largely non-remunerative farm sector of India”. Comment.

Ans. 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. Situation of farm mechanization in India (as per various documents of the GoI):

• although India is one of the top countries in agricultural production, the current level of farm mechanization, which varies across states, averages below 50 per cent as against more than 90 per cent in developed countries (Economic Survey 2015–16).

• the farm mechanization growth rate is less than 5 per cent for the last two decades.

• tractor penetration is very low—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.

• farm mechanization has resulted in generating employment to rural youth and artisans for the production, operation, and maintenance of machines.

• 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).

Agricultural mechanization in case of India is increasingly needed as:

(a) 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.

(b) agriculture sector in India has a high proportion of female workforce, therefore, ergonomically designed tools and equipment for reducing drudgery, enhancing safety and comfort and also to suit the needs of women workers.

Two important and contemporary policy suggestions may be given in this regard (Economic Survey 2015–16):

(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.