Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Impact of Mechanization on Technical Efficiency: the Case Study of Wheat Farmers in Northern Bangladesh

M. E. A. Begum
RARS, Hathazari, Chittagong and Agricultural Economics Division, BARI, Gazipur.

M. A. Monayem Miah
Agricultural Economics Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study analysed the impact of mechanization inputs and cultivation systems on productivity and technical efficiency (TE) of wheat in northern part of Bangladesh. A stochastic frontier analysis was used to measure the TE and two methods in each cultivation stage were assessed. The data analyzed in this study were collected through survey of 150 farmers that covered the crop year of 2016. The results showed that TE of wheat producers has increased significantly as the increase of farm mechanization. There was a great variation in the levels of efficiency, which ranged from 0.08 to 0.99 with a mean of 0.72. The mechanization index ranged from 0.13 to 0.95 showing a high variation in the application of farm machinery for wheat production. The correlation between the mechanization index and TE strongly demonstrated the impact of mechanization on the efficiency of wheat producers. These results have implications for capacity building and continue government support on farm mechanization to increase productivity on wheat farms.

Keywords: Mechanization, Technical efficiency, Wheat

Location:

Start Date: 00-00-2016

End Date: 00-00-2016

Program Area: Knowledge Management

Non-commodity: Adoption of technology

Objectives:

i. To estimate the levels and determinants of wheat producers’ technical efficiency (TE), focusing on the impact of mechanization; ii. To investigate the extent to which wheat production can be improved under existing technologies and iii. To identify agricultural systems that have a positive effect on production.

Methodology:

The research survey was undertaken in northern Bangladesh. The data used in this study were collected during a survey covering the crop year of 2016 in two major wheat growing areas namely Thakurgaon and Rajshahi. Based on the national statistics of high wheat area and production, Thakurgaon (12.78% of total area, 13.70% of total production) and Rajshahi (7.19% of total area and 7.76% of total production) districts were chosen for this study. The farmers of these two districts use mechanization in their farm operations. A two-stage cluster sampling of 150 households from these two districts was surveyed. Information from farm households through repeated visits using a pre-tested interview schedule. The data covered information on farm and non-farm activities as well as demographic and location characteristics. The information collected on farm activities included fertilizer application and prices, human labor, farm size, crop output and prices, wages, capital assets, and livestock production.

Source of Information: Annual Research Report, 2017, Agricultural Economics Division, BARI, Bangladesh

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The present study estimated the impact of mechanization on the production performance of wheat farmers in northern part of Bangladesh. Due to the importance of mechanization technologies in cultivation stages, various cultivation methods/systems were considered in stochastic frontier production. The coefficient of machinery in the tillage stage was significant. The coefficient of pesticide is significant, implies that pesticide has a negative effect on output. The coefficient of machinery at the harvest stage is significant; moreover, machine harvest showed a significant and negative effect on wheat production. This result implies that machine harvest has a negative effect on output. There were great variations in the levels of efficiency; the efficiency ranged from 0.08 to 0.99 with a mean of 0.72, which implies that, in the short run, there is extensive room for improving wheat yields. The mechanization index is a professional index that can be used at the mechanization level based on machinery operational costs. This index, which ranges from 0.13 to 0.95, showed too much variation in the application of farm machinery in wheat production. The correlation between the mechanization index and technical efficiency demonstrated the strong impact of mechanization on the technical efficiency of wheat producers caused by the use of appropriate methods. The level of mechanization index in the country is very low in sowing and harvesting stage and therefore, plenty of scope exists to introduce mechanically operated equipment in these stages. Inputs for mechanization require long-term investment for creating support services infrastructure for manufacture, marketing, after-sale service network, training, demonstration, and credit support. The Government of Bangladesh should conscious of these facts and take adequate measures to promote mechanization by providing financial incentives to the farmers and to the farm machinery industries to manufacture quality farm machinery. Finally, mechanization should not be considered solely as an increase of mechanical power. Rather, the selection of systems is a key choice because a certain system will change the inputs that should be used.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings