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Mechanization for Rural Development: a Review of Patterns and Progress from Around the World 20 Integrated Crop Management Vol

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Mechanization for Rural Development: a Review of Patterns and Progress from Around the World 20 Integrated Crop Management Vol ISSN 1020-4555 Mechanization for Rural Development: A review of patterns and progress from around the world 20 Integrated Crop Management Vol. 20–2013 Mechanization forRuralDevelopment: MechanizationMechanization forfor RuralRural Development:Development: Farm mechanizationmechanization isis aa crucialcrucial inputinput forfor agriculturalagricultural production.production. WithoutWithout AA reviewreview ofof patternspatterns andand progressprogress fromfrom aroundaround farmfarm powerpower andand thethe appropriateappropriate complementarycomplementary tools,tools, implementsimplements andand machines, farmersfarmers wouldwould strugglestruggle toto emergeemerge fromfrom subsistencesubsistence production.production. thethe worldworld With demands being exerted on the planet’s natural capital by ever intensifyingintensifying populationpopulation pressure,pressure, thethe needneed forfor sustainablesustainable mechanizationmechanization becomes increasingly urgent. This book gives a wide-ranging perspective on the present state of mechanization inin thethe developingdeveloping worldworld and,and, asas such,such, constitutesconstitutes aa solidsolid platform on which to build strategies for a sustainable future. Farm A reviewofpatternsandprogressfromaroundtheworld mechanization formsforms anan integralintegral plankplank inin thethe implementationimplementation ofof sustainablesustainable cropcrop productionproduction intensificationintensification methodologiesmethodologies andand sustainablesustainable intensificationintensification necessarilynecessarily meansmeans thatthat thethe protectionprotection ofof naturalnatural resourcesresources andand thethe productionproduction ofof ecosystemecosystem servicesservices gogo hand-in-handhand-in-hand withwith intensifiedintensified productionproduction practices.practices. ThisThis requiresrequires specificspecific mechanizationmechanization measuresmeasures toto allowallow cropscrops toto bebe establishedestablished withwith minimumminimum soilsoil disturbance,disturbance, toto allowallow thethe soilsoil toto bebe protectedprotected underunder organicorganic covercover forfor asas longlong asas possible,possible, andand toto establishestablish cropcrop rotationsrotations andand associationsassociations toto feedfeed thethe soilsoil andand toto exploitexploit cropcrop nutrientsnutrients fromfrom variousvarious soilsoil horizons.horizons. TheThe bookbook isis thethe startingstarting pointpoint toto helphelp thethe readerreader understandunderstand thethe complexitiescomplexities andand requirementsrequirements ofof thethe tasktask ahead.ahead. ISBN 978-92-5-107605-7 ISSN 1020-4555 9 789251 076057 I3259E/1/04.13 FAO ISSN 1020-4555 Mechanization for Rural Development: A review of patterns and progress from around the world 20 Integrated Crop Management Vol. 20–2013 Mechanization forRuralDevelopment: MechanizationMechanization forfor RuralRural Development:Development: Farm mechanizationmechanization isis aa crucialcrucial inputinput forfor agriculturalagricultural production.production. WithoutWithout AA reviewreview ofof patternspatterns andand progressprogress fromfrom aroundaround farmfarm powerpower andand thethe appropriateappropriate complementarycomplementary tools,tools, implementsimplements andand machines, farmersfarmers wouldwould strugglestruggle toto emergeemerge fromfrom subsistencesubsistence production.production. thethe worldworld With demands being exerted on the planet’s natural capital by ever intensifyingintensifying populationpopulation pressure,pressure, thethe needneed forfor sustainablesustainable mechanizationmechanization becomes increasingly urgent. This book gives a wide-ranging perspective on the present state of mechanization inin thethe developingdeveloping worldworld and,and, asas such,such, constitutesconstitutes aa solidsolid platform on which to build strategies for a sustainable future. Farm A reviewofpatternsandprogressfromaroundtheworld mechanization formsforms anan integralintegral plankplank inin thethe implementationimplementation ofof sustainablesustainable cropcrop productionproduction intensificationintensification methodologiesmethodologies andand sustainablesustainable intensificationintensification necessarilynecessarily meansmeans thatthat thethe protectionprotection ofof naturalnatural resourcesresources andand thethe productionproduction ofof ecosystemecosystem servicesservices gogo hand-in-handhand-in-hand withwith intensifiedintensified productionproduction practices.practices. ThisThis requiresrequires specificspecific mechanizationmechanization measuresmeasures toto allowallow cropscrops toto bebe establishedestablished withwith minimumminimum soilsoil disturbance,disturbance, toto allowallow thethe soilsoil toto bebe protectedprotected underunder organicorganic covercover forfor asas longlong asas possible,possible, andand toto establishestablish cropcrop rotationsrotations andand associationsassociations toto feedfeed thethe soilsoil andand toto exploitexploit cropcrop nutrientsnutrients fromfrom variousvarious soilsoil horizons.horizons. TheThe bookbook isis thethe startingstarting pointpoint toto helphelp thethe readerreader understandunderstand thethe complexitiescomplexities andand requirementsrequirements ofof thethe tasktask ahead.ahead. ISBN 978-92-5-107605-7 ISSN 1020-4555 9 789251 076057 I3259E/1/04.13 FAO Integrated Crop Management Vol. 20-2013 Mechanization for Rural Development: A review of patterns and progress from around the world Editors Josef Kienzle1, John E. Ashburner2, Brian G. Sims3 1 Agricultural Engineer (Mechanization and Institutions) Plant Production and Protection Division, FAO, Rome 2 FAO Rural Engineering Consultant 3 FAO Farm Mechanization Consultant PLANT PRODUCTION AND PROTECTION DIVISION FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 2013 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO. ISBN 978-92-5-107605-7 (print) E-ISBN 978-92-5-107606-4 (PDF) © FAO 2013 FAO encourages the use, reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product. Except where otherwise indicated, material may be copied, downloaded and printed for private study, research and teaching purposes, or for use in non-commercial products or services, provided that appropriate acknowledgement of FAO as the source and copyright holder is given and that FAO’s endorsement of users’ views, products or services is not implied in any way. All requests for translation and adaptation rights, and for resale and other commercial use rights should be made via www.fao.org/contact-us/licencerequest or addressed to [email protected]. FAO information products are available on the FAO website (www.fao.org/ publications) and can be purchased through [email protected]. CONTENTS FOREWORD Agricultural mechanization is a crucial input to agricultural crop production. It is frequently very capital intensive, compared to other (usually annual) inputs and it has repercussions on the efficiency of all other inputs used in crop production, including seeds, fertilizer, water, and time/labour. It is also much more complex in its application, requiring not only correct use, but also a service infrastructure for maintenance and repair. For this reason it is essential for FAO’s Plant Production and Protection Division (AGP) to embrace the agricultural mechanization sector in the context of Sustainable Crop Production Intensification. Whilst agricultural mechanization is indispensible for production, it can also have very detrimental effects on the environmental sustainability of farming (soil compaction and erosion, tillage, chemical pollution). However if the correct technologies are applied, for example: climate smart agriculture such as conservation agriculture; safe and efficient application of pesticides; precision application of fertilizers; soil compaction management; efficient harvesting; and natural resource conservation, then sustainable intensification can ensue. The services provided to member countries will include the policies and infrastructures required by them to establish or expand their capacities to facilitate environmentally friendly mechanization in a socio-economically sustainable way. This includes roles for cooperatives, for the public sector, as well as for the commercial private sector, from financing and operational arrangements for the use of agricultural mechanization, to training in the use of machines, their maintenance and the related commercial supply infrastructure for sales, and after sales services. This publication presents a kaleidoscopic view of agricultural mechanization experiences from around the globe and, as such, provides a solid launching pad for the promotion of sustainable mechanization technologies that are so vital if we are to feed, with due regard to the planet’s natural capital,
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