Operationalization of Custom Hiring Centres on Farm Implements in Hundred Villages in India

Abstract

Indian agriculture is undergoing a gradual shift from dependence on human power and draft animal power (DAP) to mechanical power because maintenance of DAP and manual labor is becoming increasingly costly coupled with scarce availability of fodder and feed to animal. Hence mechanical power has become more economical and indispensable to meet targets of timeliness and efficient utilization of natural resources and input use. Intensive cultivation also require mechanization. Use of high capacity and energy efficient farm implements are more important in changing climate scenario. This includes and limited sowing (window) period available due to delayed monsoon or long dry spells between rainfall events to complete farm operations. It is also relevant after prolonged water logging or for limited period suitable for various intercultural practices such as weeding or harvesting. Farm power availability from human and animal power sources has remained same or even reduced during past 20 years (0.24 Kw/ha in 1951 to 0.20 Kw/ha in 2009). Farm power from tractors mechanical and electrical sources put together increased 20 fold in the same period (0.04 Kw/ha in 1950 to 0.93 Kw/ha in 2009). Timeliness of operations has significance for increased germination and required plant population, good crop stand and sustained productivity of crops. All these are possible by way of using high capacity energy efficient farm machinery. For example, the sowing of wheat is done up to the first week of November in states like Punjab and Haryana. A delay beyond this period by every each week leads to decrease in crop yields of about 0.37 MT per ha. In rainfed agriculture regions of India, 6 to 8 weeks delay in onset of monsoon in the current year (2012 kharif) resulted in some sort of panic among farming community in terms of completing sowing operation by end of July by utilizing first rainfall received at the end of July. Other operations like hoeing, irrigation, intercultural, top dressing of fertilizer inputs, harvesting, threshing and marketing which need to be done at appropriate time otherwise farm productivity and income are adversely affected.