Agricultural land area in the world has limits, but the demand for food is ever increasing due to population growth. To increase productivity in the limited land so as to meet the expanding demand arising from population growth as well as higher income is a very important mission. To increase productivity, timely and precise field work is necessary. To make it possible, agricultural machines take an important role.
Mission Objectives
- Increasing the reach of farm mechanization to small and marginal farmers and to the regions where availability of farm power is low
- Promoting ‘Custom Hiring Centres’ to offset the adverse economies of scale arising due to small landholding and high cost of individual ownership
- Creating hubs for hi-tech & high value farm equipments
- Creating awareness among stakeholders through demonstration and capacity building activities
- Ensuring performance testing and certification at designated testing centers located all over the country
Mission Strategy
- Conduct performance testing for various farm machineries and equipments at the four Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institutes (FMTTIs), designated State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) and ICAR institutions
- Promote farm mechanization among stakeholders by way of on-field and off-field training and demonstrations
- Provide financial assistance to farmers for procurement of farm machinery and implements
- Establish custom hiring centres location and crop specific farm machinery and implements
Mission Components
- Promotion and strengthening of agriculture mechanization through training, testing and demonstration.
- Demonstration, training and distribution of post harvest technology and management
- Financial assistance for procurement of agricultural machinery and equipment
- Establish farm machinery banks for custom hiring
- Establish hi-tech, high productive equipment hub for custom hiring
- Promotion of farm mechanization in selected villages
- Promotion of farm machinery and equipment in north-eastern region
- Financial assistance for promotion of mechanized operations
Structure of the Mission
- Farm mechanization programmes are also being implemented through other missions such as RKVY, MIDH, NMOOP & NFSM, which would continue to be implemented subject to these guidelines.
- The Central Sector schemes ‘Promotion and Strengthening of Agricultural Mechanization through Training, Testing and Demonstration’ and ‘Post Harvest Technology & Management’ stand merged with this Sub-Mission.
- The Mission will have a National Steering Committee (NSC) under Chairmanship of Secretary (AC&FW). NSC will be the policy formulating body giving overall direction and guidance to the Mission, and will monitor and review its progress and performance.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture website
