Lesson-1: Farm Mechanization: Introduction
FARM MECHANIZATION:
Farm mechanization is the application of engineering and technology in agricultural
operations, to do a job in a better way to improve productivity. This includes development
application and management of all mechanical aids for field production, water control, material
handling, storing and processing. Mechanical aids include hand tools, animal drawn equipment,
power tillers, tractors, engines, electric motors, processing and hauling equipment.
BENEFITS OF FARM MECHANIZATION:
1) Timeliness of operation
2) Precision of operation
3) Improvement of work environment
4) Enhancement of safety
5) Reduction of drudgery of labour
6) Reduction of loss of crops and food products
7) Increased productivity of land
8) Increased economic return to farmers
9) Progress and prosperity in rural areas
LIMITING FACTORS IN FARM MECHANIZATION:
1) Small and fragmented land holdings.
2) Less investing capacity of farmers.
3) Agricultural labour is easily available.
4) Adequate draught animals are available in the country.
5) Lack of availability of suitable farm machines for different operations.
6) Lack of repair and servicing facilities for machines.
7) Lack of trained man power.
9) High cost of machines.
SOURCES OF FARM POWER AND MECHANIZATION
Various types of agricultural operations such as seed bed preparation, cultivation, sowing/
planting, irrigation, weeding/ interculture, chemicals spraying, harvesting, threshing,
transportation, etc. needs different power sources. These operations are performed by different
sources of power namely, human, animal, stationary engine, tractor, power tiller, electricity, solar
and wind. For doing these operations different types of power available is classified as:
Human power Electrical power
Animal power Wind power
Mechanical power
HUMAN POWER: Labour is one of the most important sources of farm power. On small farms,
mostly labour is supplied by the farmer and his family. Only to meet the peak and permanent
labour requirements, the hired labourers are employed. On small farm having very little spare
capital to buy appropriate type of hand tools and animal drawn equipment, both labour
use efficiency and productivity are very low. An average healthy adult man can exert a maximum of
0.1 hp.
ANIMAL POWER: Animal power is very common on farms. Different animal sources are:
Bullocks Donkeys
Buffaloes Mules
Camels Elephants
Horses Yokes
Generally one medium size bullock can develop about 0.50 hp.
MECHANICAL POWER: Important source of farm power is mechanical power that is available
through tractors and stationary engines. Small diesel engines for tubewells have 5 to 10 hp range.
Diesel engines of the larger size (35-60 hp) are used on tractors. Diesel engines are the main source
of power in agriculture. The basic reason for their preference is the economy in operation.
ELECTRICAL POWER: The largest use of electric power in agriculture is for irrigation. Besides this,
the use of electric power in dairy industry, cold storage, fruit processing and cattle feed grinding.
WIND POWER: The availability of wind power for farm work is quite limited. Where the wind
velocity is more than 32 km/h, wind mills can be used for lifting water. The most important reason
of its low use is its uncertainty. It is one of the cheapest sources of farm power available.
MERITS AND DEMERITS DIFFERENT FARM POWER SOUECES:
TRACTOR
Tractor is a self-propelled power unit having wheels or tracks for operating agricultural implements
and machines including trailers. Tractor engine is used as a source of power by burning of fuel
(petrol or diesel) and air and hence converts chemical energy to mechanical energy (motion).
Tractors can be classified into three classes on the basis of structural design
1. Wheeled tractor
2. Crawler tractor or Track type tractor
3. Hand tractor or Walking type tractor or Power tiller
Wheeled Tractor Track type tractor
Walk behind type 2-wheel tractor Riding type power tiller
Power outlets in tractor:
Power is produced in tractor engine by burning fuel (diesel) in the presence of air. Burnt gases exert
high pressure on piston to generate motion which is passed on to crankshaft for using. Tractor
power is utilized at any of these or a combination:
Wheels Power Take Off (PTO) shaft
3-pont linkages Hook
Drawbar Hydraulic power point
Hook