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Farm Machinery Need Assessment: a Participatory Approach

Md. Monjurul Alam
Professor
Department of Farm Power & Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh

Md. Sirajul Islam
Program Coordinator
PROSHIKA, Dhaka

Biraj Kumar Biswas
Program Coordinator
PROSHIKA, Dhaka

Shyamol Bose

Samir Ranjan Baral

Md Altaf Hossain

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A PRA study was conducted in eight districts to identify the location specific appropriate agricultural machinery need of the farmers. A total of 102 PRA sessions were conducted involving 233 farmers (male and female) of different categories namely landless, tenant, marginal, medium and rich. The households of the PRA sites were mostly dependent on agricultural activities and farming income largely constituted by farm income. However, non-farm activities had a major share in constituting household income. According to the participant’s preference ranking for present agricultural machinery use male farmers opinioned for Power tiller followed by Shallow tube well, Sprayer, Rice huller, Pedal thresher etc. In contrast, female farmers expressed their opinion in favour of threshing machines (Pedal and Power threshers) and Rice huller alongside of tiling, irrigation and spraying machines. In addition to presently used modern tools, equipment and machines male farmers demanded for Transplanter, Reaper mechanical Thresher, Seed and fertilizer distributor, Drier, Push-pull weeder, Sprayer etc. In contrast, female farmers emphasized on major post- harvest processing machines such as Drier, mechanical Thresher and mechanical Winnower along with field machines such as Reaper, Push pull weeder, seed-fertilizer distributor etc. On ground of strong demand from the farmers, appropriate action programmes must be waged to promote necessary technology and skill to have a positive impact on agricultural production and to alleviate livelihood of resource poor farmers.

Keywords: PRA, Farmers, Machinery, Income

Location: PROSHIKA, Dhaka

Start Date: 10-01-2002

End Date: 00-02-2002

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Performance evaluation

Objectives:

To identify farmers’ view on machinery need for mechanization

Methodology:

Eight districts namely Thakurgaon, Bogra, Rajshahi, Sherpur, Hobiganj, Comilla, Barisal and Jessor were selected for the PRA study considering different regions of Bangladesh and the access of collaboration NGO (PROSHIKA) activities. Thirty farmers from two villages were selected for PRA at each study area consisting of fifteen farmers (ten males and five females) from each village. As a PRA norm the farmers were allowed to categorize them based on their socio-economic perception. The farmers characterized themselves as Landless, Tenant, Marginal, Medium and Rich based on their land holdings. A total of 102 PRA sessions were conducted during 10 January to 5 February 2002 and in total 233 farmers (49 Landless, 90 Tenant, 71 Marginal, 14 Medium and 9 Rich) participated in the PRA.

Source of Information: Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Paper Meet, Agricultural Engineering Division, The Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, 20 November, 2002, 172-181.

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The adoption of modern crop varieties and production management have resulted in expansion of farm machines like PT, STW, push pull weeder, sprayer, pedal thresher and rice huller etc. in the study areas. The farm households of the PRA sites had fair access to tilling of land either by owning or on hire of PT, In Hobiganj and Comilla sites; farmers had limited access to tractors for land preparation. Irrigation of crops were found satisfactory in all study sites except in Sherpur and Barisal, where ground water level in dry season and salinity respectively were found major constraints for installation of STW, and thereby limit Boro rice cultivation. Regardless of gender, farmers identified five major areas of rice based cultivation such as transplanting, seed and fertilizer distribution, harvesting, threshing and winnowing where significant mechanical intervention are needed. Appropriate research programme need to be undertaken to adopt good quality, cheaper and environment friendly machines for harvesting, threshing, winnowing, seed-fertilizer distribution, weeding, crop protection etc, for rice, wheat, potato and corn.

Knowledge Management: Journal