Mechanization for Rural Development

Josef Kienzle, John E. Ashburner, Brian G. Sims;Plant Production and Protection Division

Mechanization for Rural Development

A review of patterns and progress from around the world

Year of publication 2013

Author Josef Kienzle, John E. Ashburner, Brian G. Sims;Plant Production and Protection Division

Product type Book (stand-alone)

ISBN 9789251076057

Edition 1

Full item page

Synopsis (short abstract) Farm mechanization is a crucial input for agricultural production. Without farm power and the appropriate complementary tools, implements and machines, farmers would struggle to emerge from subsistence production. With demands being exerted on the planet’s natural capital by ever intensifying population pressure, the need for sustainable mechanization becomes increasingly urgent. This book gives a wide-ranging perspective on the present state of mechanization in the developing worl d and, as such, constitutes a solid platform on which to build strategies for a sustainable future. Farm mechanization forms an integral plank in the implementation of sustainable crop production intensification methodologies and sustainable intensification necessarily means that the protection of natural resources and the production of ecosystem services go hand-in-hand with intensified production practices. This requires specific mechanization measures to allow crops to be establ ished with minimum soil disturbance, to allow the soil to be protected under organic cover for as long as possible, and to establish crop rotations and associations to feed the soil and to exploit crop nutrients from various soil horizons. The book is the starting point to help the reader understand the complexities and requirements of the task ahead.

Language English

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This publication is about the provision of mechanization services in rural communities and their benefits and limitations for enhancing the resilience of smallholder farmers and creating job opportunities. It is based on the results of a project implemented in Rakhine state (Myanmar) as response of Cyclone Komen and associated flooding in 2015 and drought in 2016. The project increased the availability of two-wheel tractors and water pumps in the rural communities and provided technical support. The direct beneficiaries of small farm machinery were existing farmer groups in the targeted villages committed to provide mechanization services in the long term to other farmers. The timely performance of land preparation with two-wheel tractors translates into increased resilience as farmers have a better capacity to cope with the erratic weather, labour shortages and respond to hazards. Community members including young people were trained as tractor operators, generating additional income and creating jobs. The provision of irrigation services during the dry season supported the cultivation of legumes and vegetables. Recommendations for future interventions include: the promotion of small farm machinery targeting youths, women, landless people and casual labourer as mechanization operators and/or service providers; to include a more equal number of women and men in the farmer groups as mechanization service providers; to continue building the technical capacity of national and local institutions on sustainable agricultural mechanization; to strengthen agri-business capacity of farmer groups providing mechanization services; to facilitate access to micro-finance by smallholder farmers to overcome the high investment of small machinery.
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Adoption of farm inputs, mechanization, irrigation and gender gaps in sub-Saharan Africa: insights from the Rural Livelihoods Information System (RuLIS)
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RuLIS is a tool to support policies for reducing rural poverty, jointly developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Statistics Division, the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). RuLIS brings together harmonized indicators and comparable data across countries and over time on rural incomes, livelihoods and rural development. Using the RuLIS data, this brief focuses on the observations made in the adoption of agricultural inputs, along with improved technology such as irrigation, and mechanised tools among crop farm households in sub-Saharan Africa.