the fact that Indian farmers are willing to adopt latest techniques in farming provided they have access to the same . It is because of this , that we are slowly moving beyond tractors and understanding the importance of other specialized machinery such as grain & forage harvesters , transplanters , balers etc ., to reduce wastage and promote time efficiency at each stage of production be it , sowing , harvesting or utilizing the leftover straw after harvest by baling it and converting it to cattle fodder .
An overview of agriculture mechanization in SAARC
When we compare modernization in agriculture to that in other SAARC ( South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation ) counterparts , the challenges and progress appear to be similar . The SAARC region comprises of 23.7 % of the world ’ s population and a majority of this population is dependent on agriculture . The average size of landholdings in SAARC countries is small , ranging from below 1.0 hectare in Sri Lanka and Nepal to below 0.5 hectares in Bangladesh . The average size of landholding in Pakistan is comparatively higher at 3.0 hectares . Apart from this , the growth rate in productivity is also low ; per hectare yield in these SAARC countries is lower than the global average .
Considering that agriculture in most of these countries is the livelihood of majority of the population and is highly dependent on climatic conditions , there is a need for penetration of modernized techniques of farming and mechanization in this sector . This would not only help farmers reap more from the same plot of land but would also lead to overall economic development of these countries .
Taking into consideration the small landholdings and the large percentage of population dependent on agriculture in these countries , there are similar problems that plague the agricultural sectors of all these economies because of which adoption of mechanized farming in SAARC countries still remains low as compared to global averages . The subsidies provided on farm machinery by the government still need reform .
While agriculture mechanization in some SAARC countries like Afghanistan are still highly dependent on tractors , countries like Bangladesh have increasingly promoted the use of threshers , transplanters and combine harvesters . Similar to the labour shortage in India , manual labour in Bangladesh is also scarce during peak times of sowing and harvesting . This has been one of the major reasons for adoption of agricultural mechanization in the country . In Bhutan , the Agriculture Machinery Center ( AMC ), has played an instrumental role when it comes to making farm machinery accessible to farmers . A number of innovations and research in the farm mechanization sector is also be attributed to this center . Bhutanese farmers are an inspiration when it comes to adoption of farm machinery . Farmers who do not even have proper access to basic infrastructure such as roads to transport these machines have carried and reassembled them at their remote farms to reap the benefits of farm mechanization . The Department of Agriculture and FMRC ( Farm Machinery Research Center ) in Sri Lanka are fast tracking testing , certification and adoption of modern farm machinery to fuel mechanization in the country .
To conclude , it is true that the South
Asian countries are now opening their eyes to the significance of adopting mechanization in this crucial sector . Though it is heartening to see that state governments are taking up initiatives to improve livelihoods of farmers , such as conducting training sessions for women farmers to use machinery or introducing mobile applications to generate awareness ; when it comes to reforms , there is scope for a lot more , and especially in India , where we have established goals of doubling farmers ’ incomes , there is a need to emphasize that mechanization is one of the significant contributors to achieving our targets .
JAY SINGH Mr Jay Singh is the Managing Director of CLAAS Agricultural Machinery . Founded in 2014 , the company manages all sales , marketing , distribution and after sales operations of CLAAS India , one of the world ' s leading manufacturers of agricultural machinery in India and other SAARC countries . Jay has 27 years of experience in the field of infrastructure and agricultural equipment and has comprehensive knowledge of the commercial and economic aspects of doing business in Asia-Pacific . Based out of Bangalore , Mr Singh has been working with the company since January 2014 . Prior to that , he was the Managing Director of Volvo India Private Limited with responsibilities including legal & statutory areas of various Business Areas & Units of Volvo group operating in India and also headed marketing operations of Asia Pacific region of Volvo Construction Equipment .
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