Vol. 18 No. 1
Sustainable approach of mechanization in rice-potato cropping sequence: Redefining the need in Assam
Author(s): S. Khandai, Vipin, B. Kumar, Vivek, B. S. Goswami, J. Minhas and K. Singh
Abstract: In Assam, small and marginal farmers are large in number (86%) with fragmented land holding resulted more dependence on power-tiller driven operations. However, records show the increase of power-tiller numbers in Assam is not so prominent with merely increase of numbers from 24701 in 2012 to 40000 in 2017, whereas tractor numbers have increased from 10610 to 41310 in the same period with approximate area covered by 30.9% in 2017. Currently, the usage of machines for agricultural operations are getting attention of farmers to increase productivity. This study will throw some light on government schemes on promotion of farm-mechanization along with an overview of commercially available advanced farm-machines used in paddy and potato cultivation. Moreover, it will try to provide critical review of the use of such machines in field operations to ensure sustainability of farm operation in a composite of new and old practices for both paddy and potato.