Meaning of Farm Mechanization
Application of technology, engineering principles, and agricultural practices has led to the invention and development of various types of machinery and implements. These practices have also led to the invention of modern machinery and equipment that use automation. The uses of these different farm machinery and equipment in carrying out various farm activities or operations on the farm are called Farm mechanization (West African Examination Council, 2013)
When the uses of farm tools and implements such as cutlasses, hoes, sickles, spades, shovels, rakes, and more are replaced with the uses of farm machinery and implements in performing various agricultural value chain operations, is called farm or agricultural mechanization.
Farm mechanization according to the West Africa Examination Council (1998) refers to the application of an engineering principle and technology in agricultural activities such as the storage and processing of farm produce.
The author further opined that farm mechanization involves the application of engineering principles and technology to land preparation, planting, application of fertilizer, weeding and crop harvesting, rearing, care, and feeding of farm animals as well as processing and storage of farm produce
Additionally, Farm mechanization involves the use of farm machinery such as tractors, bulldozers, incubators, power tillers, mowers, combine harvesters, and Shellers, as well as farm implements such as harrows, ploughs, ridgers, planters, and sprayers in performing various operation on the farm.
The uses of these farm machinery and implements or equipment in performing operations such as land preparation, planting, application of fertilizer, weeding and crop harvesting, rearing, care and feeding of farm animals as well as processing and storage of farms are called Agricultural Mechanization.
Farm mechanization is very crucial in agriculture as it helps increase output, reduces drudgery in agriculture, promotes specialization, improves the quality of farm produce, and helps complete jobs within a short time.
Example of Farm or Agricultural Mechanization.
The example of farm mechanization includes the uses of
- Tractor instead of cutlass
- Bulldozer instead of Spade
- Tree puller instead of spade and axe
- Combine harvester instead of cutlass
- Motorized Sprayer instead of knapsacks sprayer
- Mower instead of cutlass
- Power tiller instead of hoe
- Sheller instead of manure-breaking
- Incubator instead of a natural incubator
- Chain saw instead of cutlass and axe
- Power sharpening machine instead of manure file
- Motorize planter instead of manure planting
Difference Between Mechanization and Automation in Agriculture
| S/no | Mechanization | Automation |
| 1 | Examples of mechanization include tractors, combine harvesters, bulldozers, incubators, ploughs, mowers, harrows, chainsaws, Shellers, and more. | Example of Automation includes drone, automation machinery (such as tractors, harvesters, etc.) drones, and sensors attached devices, unmanned aerial vehicles, robotic planters, and weeding |
| 2 | Mechanization involves the use of machines and their implements with human intervention. | Mechanization involves using machines and their implements without human intervention. |
| 3 | Mechanization leads to the pollution of the environment as a result of the use of fuel | Automation is electrically controlled and does not involve the uses of carbon fuel that are capable of causing environmental the pollution. |
| 4 | They do not require the use of remote control | automation is electronically controlled |
Importance/ Advantages of Farm Mechanization
The uses of farm machinery and equipment in agriculture are very important for the expansion and development of agriculture. Some of the importance of agriculture mechanization are listed below:
Boosts Large-Scale Agriculture or Farming
Agricultural or farm mechanization which involves the use of machines instead of human labor aids the cultivation of large expanses of land which leads to the production of high quantities of farm produce.
Farm machinery and equipment can be used to prepare, cultivate, maintain, and harvest large areas and quantities of crops. The areas of land that can be covered by thirty laborers in a month can be covered by a farm machine within a day.
More so, weeding and spraying of one hectare of farmland can take about one week or two by five man-days working at the same rate and time, whereas it will take one man-day to finish the weeding and spraying of one hectare of farmland with the used of farm machinery and equipment.
Reduce Drudgery or Tiredness
Farm machines and implements are not human beings, hence they cannot be tired. Human beings can easily get tired, but machines cannot get tired except there are operation faults or damage to spare parts.
More so, the use of farm tools and equipment in agriculture can easily contribute to tiredness. However, the farm machines and implements can cover large areas of land without tiredness, hence, it reduces tiredness in performing farm operations.
Promptness of Farm Operation
Machines can be used to cover large areas of farmland within a short time, compared to human labor and farm tools.
It might take about one week for five-man days to work in the same hour and time with farm tools to perform one hectare of farmland, while this same one hectare of farmland can be executed by farm machine within a day. Machines perform jobs faster and quicker than human labor.
Unpleasant Job be Done with Ease
Unpleasant and difficult jobs on the farm such as stumping, weeding, tillage, spraying of herbicides, panting, and more, can be very difficult when carried out by small farm tools.
In fact, it might even take two or three months to stump a farm with a lot of under-bench trees, and shrubs. While stumping may take this number of months, it will take a day to finish stumping of one hectare of farmland with farm machines.
Sprayers of pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, fertilizers, and other agrochemicals that are irritating and toxic to human health can easily be sprayed with the use of tractor mounted or boom sprayer.
Uncultivated Land can be Reclaimed
Uncultivated or unproductive farmland that is waterlogging, burrows pits, ditches, and more can be reclaimed using farm machines and equipment.
Ditches or burrow pits can be leveled with a tractor, and bulldozer, while the unproductive areas can be tilled and harrowed using a tractor and implement such as a plough, harrow, and ridger, and waterlogged areas can be filled with sand using a bulldozer to reclaim such an area land.
Processing and Preservation of Farm Produce
Farm mechanization helps in the Processing and Preservation of Farm Produce. Post-harvest losses are higher with the use of local farm storage facilities such as rhombus, underground storage, crib, and barn than using farm silos, refrigerators, and modern facilities in agriculture.
More so, processing machines such as oil palm mills, cassava and yam flour processing machines, and rice mills are more effective in processing farm produce than locally fabricated tools.
Promotes Specialization of Labor
Farm or agricultural mechanization helps to promote or encourage specializations. The continuous uses of farm machines divide labor into various units or portions undertaken by various individuals.
The continuous work by these individuals in such areas will make them develop adequate skills in that area, hence promoting specialization. Various farming operations on the farm involve the use of different farm machines and equipment that will encourage individuals to develop skills in these different areas of operations on the farm.
Supplement Human Labor
The uses of farm tools and equipment do not eliminate labor from the farm but supplement the quantities of labor available on the farm.
Certain operations that are difficult and toxic to humans, and can be effectively executed using farm machines. Not all operations can also be done by machine on the farm, human intelligence and knowledge is also needed to perform certain operations, hence farm machines and equipment supplement human labor.
Improve the Quality of Farm Produce
The uses of farm machines in the processing, and storage of farm produce can help to safe guide farm agriculture produce from pests and disease attacks.
These living organisms reduce the qualities and quantities of crops. Pathogens that can affect crops both in the field and in the store can be effectively controlled using farm machines and equipment.
Release Labour to other Areas.
Farm mechanization helps to release labor to other areas of the farm, and since everybody cannot do one particular thing at a time, It is necessary to concentrate on the ones that have not been done.
While farm machines are used in performing one operation, human labor can be channeled to other areas to perform other jobs that are not currently being done by the farm machines.
Increases Farm Income
Since farm mechanization involves the cultivation of large areas expanse of land, completing or performing difficult jobs within a short time, increasing agriculture outputs, and helping in the preservation and processing of farm produce, hence farmers have a lot of crops and animals for sale which help them to generate large amount of money and thereby increase the standard of living of farmers.
Disadvantages or Limitations of Farm Mechanization.
The disadvantages or limitations of farm mechanization in agriculture are discussed below
High Maintenance Costs of the Machine
The effectiveness of mechanized agriculture has been limited due to the high cost of maintenance of these machines and their equipment on the farm.
In many countries of the world, these Farm machines are imported and they are not manufactured in alignment with the environmental conditions of such areas. Therefore using these farm machines and equipment in such terrain can challenging and can eventually lead to the breakdown of some essential parts, even when these machines break down sourcing their spare parts to replace them can be very challenging.
To get some of these parts one needs to place an order for the importation of these parts before they can be fixed.
Expensive to Practice/High Cost of Machines
Farm mechanization is very expensive to practice. This accounts for the reasons why it is not so popular in developing countries. These types of farming are only practiced by most commercial farmers due to the availability of resources.
These machines are very expensive to purchase. Even when they are purchased the cost of using them in the carryout farming operation is very high. Sourcing for operators and purchasing of carbon fuel are extremely demanding.
Displacement of Farm Labour
The use of farm mechanization will lead to the retrenchment of labor on the farm, this is so because the operations that can be performed by many people can be done effectively and efficiently using a farm machine.
Hence, in areas where laborers are needed to perform operations such as land preparation, planting /cultivation, weeding, spraying, harvesting, and processing, such operations can be effectively performed by farm machines.
The number of human labourers that may ordinary work in these areas may be reduced due to the presence of farm machines and their equipment
Causes Environmental Pollutions
Conventional farm machines run on carbon fuel and have the ability to burn a lot of carbon into the atmosphere.
During operation, the farm machines release a lot of carbon into the atmosphere which leads to the pollution of the environment. The carbon released into the atmosphere can have serious effects on humans and animals.
Some of these heavy-duty farm machines can make a lot of noise resulting the noise pollution on the environment. Additionally, these heavy farm machines can lead to the destruction of the soil structure, and during servicing lubricant can discharge into the soil which eventually leads to soil pollution.
Causes Soil Compaction
The continuous use of farm machines and their implements on the farm can lead to what is normally called a hard pan.
A hard pan is a condition where parts of the soil become very hard due to the continuous use of farm machines on the farm.
Farm machines are usually very heavy, and as they work on the farm, they compress the soil while tilling the topsoil. The continuous tilling of the top to a certain depth will the part of the soil tillage to become very hard.
Induces Soil Erosion
Farm mechanization results in soil erosion. Since the soil is tilled and harrowed, the structure of the soil becomes much loosed, and the bonds between the soil particles are brow down such that wind and water can easily wash them.
During heavy rainfall or wind the continuous pours of rainwater on tilled and harrow farms, the soil absolves the water’s becomes saturated such that the water will continue to find its way out of the over-saturated soil into an unsaturated environment, by so doing the soil nutrients and soil particular will be washed away from the soil, thereby leading to soil erosion.
Mixed Cropping is Difficult to Practice
Under farm mechanization, mixed cropping is difficult to practice. Mixed cropping is a cropping system that entails the planting or cultivation of various types of crops such as cassava, cowpea, and maize on the same pieces of land can hardly be practiced under Mechanised agriculture.
This is because different crops have different leaf shapes which may favor the uses of herbicides in the maintenance of crops on the farm, the height and roots of other crops may disrupt the movement of machines on the farm.
Mechanization favors mono-cropping as the structure and characteristics of such crops are well known which will aid good maintenance, and care to ensure optimum crop productivity.
Required Skills Personnel
The uses of farm machines and equipment in agriculture require skilled personnel. It takes skilled personnel to operate farm machines, which most of the time are not readily available, and even when they are available they are highly played.
In most farming communities, the operator of such machines is not available, which can make farm machines fallow for months without use, before sourcing for an operator of such as machine.
Some farm owners may choose to send a laborer on a short course on how to operate or drive these farm machines before they can be operated. All these constitute hindrances to the use of farm mechanization in agriculture.
Spare Parts are Not Readily Available
This is another problem that limits farm mechanization in agriculture. Some of these farm machines are not produced locally, hence they are imported their spare parts are not readily available. and since only a few wealthy farmers are using these farm machines.
local dealers may not be interested in trading or selling such parts. therefore if farmers must buy such spare parts they have to apply for the importation of such spare parts such an action may discourage the practice of mechanized agriculture.
How to Improve Farm Mechanization
Some of the ways of improving farm mechanization as highlighted by the West Africa Examination Councils (2019).
Locally Fabricated Farm Machines and Equipment
Farm machines and equipment should be able to be locally fabricated to suit the needs of local users or farmers.
These locally made machines should be fabricated taking into cognitive the soil factors and climate conditions. Most imported farm machines lead to soil erosion, companion of the soil, and environmental pollution.
The locally made equipment should not be too expensive and should be designed to suit the small budget of the local farm.
Establishment of a Farm Mechanization Training Center
Agro-service centers should be established to train personnel on how to service, and repair farm machinery. Manpower should be trained in these centers on how to operate, and mount farm machines, such as tractors, lawnmowers, incubators, plough, harrows, tree pullers, and more.
The manpower or personnel training will aid in the effective maintenance, and repair of farm machines and equipment thereby reducing the importation of experts to repair, service, and mount farm machines.
Development of Iron and Steel Companies
Iron and steel production companies should established in areas where farm machines are not available, in so doing the iron and steel produced can aid in the construction of farm machines and their implements as well as their spare parts.
The presence of these companies will make farm machines available and affordable to farmers in such areas
Cooperative Societies
Farmers should organize cooperative societies to pull their resources together to purchase or hire farm machines and equipment that will enable member farmers to increase crop production.
Cooperative societies should be able to buy different types of farm machinery, so as to allow members to rent farm machinery to members at a minimal interest rate.
Provision of Land
The availability of land will encourage the practice of agricultural mechanization. In both developed and developing countries, the size of land available determines the practice of agricultural mechanization.
land policies in most countries are not well implemented or strengthened coupled with the system of land ownership. all these do not encourage the practice of using farm machines and equipment on farms.
Provision of Subsidies
The importation of farm machines and equipment should be subsidized for both small and medium-scale farmers to enable them to have access to farm equipment to cultivate large expanses of land.
Import duties and other levies attached to farm machines during the clearing of this equipment on the port Authority should be reduced to make farm machines affordable and available.
Provision of Credit Facilities
Financial institutions should give farmers financial credits or loans to farmers at minimal or single-digit loans to purchase farm machines.
Moreover, long-term credit or financial assistance should be given to farmers to acquire farm machines.
Establishment of a Tractor Hiring Center
The government and wealthy individuals should establish farm implements and machine renting or hiring centers so that small and medium-scale farmers can have access to farm machines to boost production.