A parliamentary committee associated with the agricultural ministry has issued a report highlighting the government’s lack of direction in farm mechanization. This absence of strategy has had detrimental effects on agricultural policies, productivity, and farmers’ incomes. Surprisingly, the government has not conducted any formal assessment of farm mechanization in the country, as stated in the report.
Despite a proposal by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to evaluate farm mechanization, this initiative has languished within the agriculture ministry for the past two years. The parliamentary committee’s report, published in August, emphasizes that the government is unaware of the gaps in the farm mechanization process, which is adversely affecting agricultural productivity, particularly burdening small and marginal farmers.
In India, where over 86% of farmers possess less than 2 hectares of land, the inability to access large-scale farm equipment poses a significant challenge. Moreover, appropriate machinery for small landholdings is scarce. Consequently, small farmers are compelled to increase their spending on seeds, fertilizers, labor, and time. The report underscores the benefits of mechanization, such as improved seed germination rates, time savings, weed management, increased crop intensity, and higher yields. Nevertheless, it points out that India’s overall level of agricultural mechanization stands at 47%, trailing behind other developing countries like China (59.5%) and Brazil (75%).
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