Farm machinery
Farm machinery in SAARC countries1
Farm mechanization has revolutionized the way farming is done. The simple hand tools to large farm machineries have both reduced the drudgeries of toiling the field to maximizing the productivity and production of crops. Considering that 60% of population in SAARC region depends on agriculture for livelihood, enhancing the efficiency of agriculture production system is of overriding importance. SAARC countries have developed numerous farm machineries that are sturdy, efficient and economical suiting the local demands.
Considering the success of farm machineries in some SAARC countries, SAC based on the recommendation of the workshop held in Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, India during 22-24 April, 2008 initiated to prepare a directory of successful farm machineries in SAARC countries. The directory compiled with the inputs of national experts is a helpful compendium for agriculturalist.
The directory provides information of successful farm machineries of five countries (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka). It provides technical specifications with illustrations of around 350 farm machineries which are considered as successful in each country. Among the three sub-sectors (agriculture, horticulture, and livestock), 72% of the machineries are related to agriculture followed by 19% for horticulture and 9% for livestock (animal husbandry and fisheries). This also clearly shows the dominance of agriculture across the countries. Among the countries, it is evident that India is far ahead with 144 successful machineries followed by Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal (Figure 1).
Figure : Successful farm machineries in SARRC countries
Taking into account different operations in agriculture, highest proportion (29%) of successful machineries are associated to harvesting and post harvest handling. This aptly corresponds to the heavy crop losses faced during pre-and-post harvest operations
Farm mechanization has revolutionized the way farming is done. The simple hand tools to large farm machineries have both reduced the drudgeries of toiling the field to maximizing the productivity and production of crops. Considering that 60% of population in SAARC region depends on agriculture for livelihood, enhancing the efficiency of agriculture production system is of overriding importance. SAARC countries have developed numerous farm machineries that are sturdy, efficient and economical suiting the local demands.
Considering the success of farm machineries in some SAARC countries, SAC based on the recommendation of the workshop held in Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, India during 22-24 April, 2008 initiated to prepare a directory of successful farm machineries in SAARC countries. The directory compiled with the inputs of national experts is a helpful compendium for agriculturalist.
The directory provides information of successful farm machineries of five countries (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka). It provides technical specifications with illustrations of around 350 farm machineries which are considered as successful in each country. Among the three sub-sectors (agriculture, horticulture, and livestock), 72% of the machineries are related to agriculture followed by 19% for horticulture and 9% for livestock (animal husbandry and fisheries). This also clearly shows the dominance of agriculture across the countries. Among the countries, it is evident that India is far ahead with 144 successful machineries followed by Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal (Figure 1).
Figure : Successful farm machineries in SARRC countries
Taking into account different operations in agriculture, highest proportion (29%) of successful machineries are associated to harvesting and post harvest handling. This aptly corresponds to the heavy crop losses faced during pre-and-post harvest operations