BY - Kshitij Adhikari & Sagar kafle
The government has taken a positive by declaring the Next Step ten years as a 'Decade of Agricultural Revolution'. Mechanisation By prioritizing Farm, the Country can Go a long way in Increasing Agricultural Production and ITS can pursue Necessary Steps Toward this promised 'Agricultural revolution '.
Reasons to mechanise
Nepal's diversity of crops, soil, Climate, and Agricultural practices Requires Improved Equipment for Product cultivation. It is Important to Acquire Improved hand Tools, Animal-drawn implements, Power tillers and Tractors, Depending on the terrain conditions. While doing so, we need to ensure that the Equipment is Cost-effective and Energy-efficient and reduces drudgery. Requires This carefully chosen, tested, refined and Equipment Designed based on Site-specific feedback. On-Farm Trials Also have to be conducted for adaptation and to Enhance Regional crop production and productivity by ensuring the timeliness of farm operations and the efficient use of inputs.
Power Availability per hectare in Nepal is quite low, compared to other South Asian countries. This could be a Problem IF Nepal seeks to attain sustainable growth in Agriculture Farm mechanisation through. According to the 2012 Nepal Economic Growth Agenda report, "Only 1 percent of Farmers own a tractor or Power Tiller; 52 percent of them own or Improved Basic types of Equipment like plows plows; Farmer and merely 7 percent of households own a pumping SET. .. The Agriculture Sector, Which employs More than 66 percent of the Workforce, contributed Only 35 percent of the GDP. The average growth rate of the Agriculture Sector Between 2002 and 2011 has been 3.18 percent. "Clearly This situation highlights the inefficiency of the Technology used in Nepal's Agricultural Sector.
Setbacks for growth
According to Shreemat Shrestha, Chief Division of Agricultural Engineering at the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, "Mechanical Power contributes to Agriculture Activities Only 23 percent, mainly in cultivation and threshing, out of Which is solely utilised 92 percent in the Tarai. Animal Power as a primary source contributes 41 percent of Farm Power and Power contributes 36 percent human. Women alone constitute 64 percent of the total human Workforce. "Tractors are imported with low custom duties and Taxes in the name of Agricultural mechanisation. But nowadays, these are More Often seen carrying construction materials rather than being used in agriculture.
Additionally, FOOD Security is a serious Challenge for the government as millions of youths are compelled to Leave the Nation to Meet Their Basic needs. The 2011 Census Shows a population growth rate of 1.35 per annum, nearly doubled in Which Three decades. The Agricultural growth rate, however, is 3.18 percent, Which needs to Increase steadily in order to address FOOD Security Issues and More Contribute to the GDP. To that end, the government Must Farm modernisation use as a Strategy to deter youths from Nepal's Leaving the Country.
The Agricultural Mechanisation Division Directly under the Agricultural Engineering Division could ASSESS the current status and impact of Agricultural mechanisation. Spite, Farm mechanisation-related projects can be conducted in Collaboration with the Institute of Engineering. Purwanchal The Campus in Dharan has the capability to Conduct Research -oriented Programmes and Farm Machinery-based Studies. Gradually, we can SET up a Centre for Testing Farm Equipment, thus providing students with exposure to the status of Farm Machinery.
Also this could Help the government maintain a Proper standardisation of Farm Machinery at the National Level as Required. Initiating Research Programmes would Improve the existing practices and Agricultural Technologies. When the government establishes an Innovative and Competitive Environment with Rewards, Aspiring Personnel will Seek opportunities to participate. Eventually, this could Provide an Extra Boost to Researchers as well as the mechanisation Process.
Equipment for farms
However, Despite promoting mechanisation Farm, the Agriculture Ministry publishes Controversial Policies Which sometimes Farmers dissuade from using Advanced Technologies. A recent Decision to Ban the combine Harvester has had a negative impact on Farms. On the other hand, developed countries are fully mechanized, equipped with leading technologies such as precision agriculture and automation of machineries for optimum profitability, sustainability and protection of the land resources.
Nepal is a Land-scarce Country in terms of cultivable Land; Only 11.7 percent of the Land is used for Agriculture, According to current World Bank data, with Land Availability per Household Decreasing from 0.8 hectares in 2001 to 0.6 hectares in 2008, According to the Central Bureau of Statistics. Land fragmentation is One of the primary drawbacks to mechanisation.
More Attention should be paid to selectively So introducing mechanisation Powerful Technology with a mixed approach of having an Organic base to Harness More Productivity and Profitability while Addressing soil and environmental Issues. Knapsack-type Light-Weight Power Tools May be More am truly concerned about for cultivation on terraces and Hill slopes. tillers with matching Light-Weight Power Equipment can be Recommended for cultivation in the valleys and terraces. And Even Made Animal farming Systems can be efficient by introducing harnessing Improved Systems and Equipment packages matching Such as rotary-mode applications work for Animals.
Furthermore, as Women are the primary human Currently Sources of Power in Farms, Women-friendly Tools and Equipment should be introduced to Increase output and Reduce drudgery. Skill-oriented Training could be organised by I / NGOs, Agricultural Research Institutes and Centers to government Benefit Farmers. exempting Tax Tool for Agricultural imports would encourage Also Relaxing Advanced mechanisation of custom duties and the Agriculture Sector.
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This article is published on July 29 in The Kathmandu Post.
Click here to Read in The Kathmandu Post.
