Post by Trade Coach on Jan 17, 2022 16:46:19 GMT 1
What is MECHANISED FARMING?
Mechanized farming is the use of machinery and equipment to make farm work easier and faster in order to increase farm productivity. In modern times, powered machinery has replaced many jobs formerly carried out by men or animals such as oxen, horses and mules. Mechanized Farming is the change from the use of human or animal power to do farm work into the use of machines to carry out all kinds of agricultural activities. It involves the manufacture, distribution, operation and maintenance of all types of farm tools, machines, equipment and implements.
Agricultural mechanization is an important input to agriculture for performing timely farm operations; reducing the cost of operation; maximizing the utilization efficiency of costly inputs (seeds, fertilizer, plant protection chemicals, water and agricultural machinery); improving the quality of produce; reducing drudgery in farm operations; improving the productivity of land & labour and for improving the dignity of labour.
Mechanization is the application of engineering principles and technology in agricultural production, storage and processing on the farm. Farm mechanization is applicable to land preparation, planting, fertilizer application, weeding and crop harvesting, Rearing, care and feeding of animals as well as processing and storage of Farm produce using appropriate Farm Machines. By applying this method, farmers are gaining more profits and are able to increase their productivity of yield.
There is no doubt that Nigeria is one of the countries blessed with a sizable portion of arable land and a favourable weather condition which is suitable for farming all year round. Despite having these natural advantages which are capable of making us a major exporter of raw and finished farm produce, on the contrary, we spend heavily on the importation of agricultural produce (raw and finished products).
From the aforementioned, the agricultural industry which is the highest employer of labour in Nigeria, is unable to meet up with the growing demand for all forms of agricultural produce in Nigeria. As a result, the country is forced to engage in unfavourable economic practices like the importation of food items and other agricultural products which could have been cultivated on our farmlands.
According to some studies, Nigeria has the 9th largest arable land. But some countries like France, with approximately half the size of Nigeria’s arable farmland, have been earning an average of 40 billion dollars from agricultural products in recent years. Yet, we're unable to earn that much in billion dollars from Agricultural export let alone fully maximize the benefits of being in a country with large arable land? The most logical answer to this thought-provoking question lies in our farming method. Up to this decade, lots of small and medium-scale farmers are still heavily involved in the utilization of labourers for planting and harvesting on their farmlands. With the continuous use of hoes, cutlass and other basic farm tools for commercial farming, we will be unable to profit from this multi-billion dollar industry.
How do we avert this danger of food insecurity and benefit from the great financial gains and the multifactorial tendencies in the agricultural industry? The surest answer to this question is by intensifying the use of mechanized farm equipment.
Mechanization is a crucial input for agricultural crop production and one that historically has been neglected in the context of developing countries. Factors that reduce the availability of farm power compromise the ability to cultivate sufficient land and have long been recognized as a source of poverty, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Increasing the power supply to agriculture means that more tasks can be completed at the right time and greater areas can be farmed to produce greater quantities of crops while conserving natural resources. Applying new technologies that are environmentally friendly enables farmers to produce crops more efficiently by using less power.
Farm mechanization has been adopted in Nigeria as there are some big farms in Nigeria that use big and sophisticated machines to carry out most of their farming operations. But in spite of the fact that mechanization has been adopted, the country is still facing problems experienced by a community which is not using agricultural mechanization. This is because even though a large percentage of the population is involved in agriculture (about over 70%), only few of them have access to modern farm machines and technology. The larger percentage of the farming population are still using primitive methods to perform their farming operations and this has led to low yields implying that the amount of goods produced is not enough to meet the needs of the teaming population of Nigeria.
Sustainable agricultural Mechanization can also contribute significantly to the development of value chains and food systems as it has the potential to render post harvest, processing and marketing activities and functions more efficient, effective and environmentally friendly.
MERITS OF MECHANIZED FARMING
Timelines of operation
It saves labour
It reduces health hazard
It reduces drigery
Increases in-Farm revenue
It encourages large scale Farming
Increase in output
Cooperation among farmers
It increases specialization of labour
It saves time
Reduction in cost of production
Improvement in quality of products
Availability of labour for other sectors
Use of less human labour
DEMERITS OF MECHANIZED FARMING
High cost
Displacement of workers
Compaction of soil
It causes environmental pollution
Degradation of landscape
Land tenure system
Destruction of soil structure
Redundancy of farm labour
Few crops can be mechanized
Inadequate technical know-how
Damage to crops
Inadequate spare parts
High cost of maintenance
Spread of pests and diseases
Human control
Unstable fuel supply.
METHODS TO IMPROVE MECHANIZED FARMING IN NIGERIA:
Reaching the Unreached Farm Extension Workers
Agricultural extension services need to be set up to enlighten farmers who want to apply Mechanization for all their farming operations to grow their productivity. Even more, these extension services will be vital to help smallholder farmers who are still clinging on to old ways to see the good in farm Mechanization and teach practical ways to embrace it.
It is true Nigeria has some agricultural extension offerings set up through the Federal and state governments, international agricultural corporations and some tertiary institutions. However, their offerings do not cover the introduction and adoption of the latest machines for farmers. To improve farm Mechanization in Nigeria, agricultural extension workers are the foot soldiers that will make it happen.
Local Machine Production
Another way to enhance farm Mechanization in Nigeria is to inspire the local production of some of these farm machinery and implements with raw materials sourced regionally. Nigeria is known to be endowed with numerous natural assets containing some of the raw materials that form the parts of these farm machines.
As an example, iron and carbon which combine together to shape metal processed to shape the essential components of all farm machines is present in commercial portions in Kogi state and a few other states.
This means that the local manufacturing of a few farm machines is viable in Nigeria if a conducive environment is created for it to take effect. If farmers can easily buy locally made but yet efficient machines, it will help their farming operations. There might be no need to go for expensive foreign ones which aren’t perfectly suited for their environment, anyway.
Personnel Training on Mechanized Farming
Farm machines will now not assemble themselves. A human has to design and another character delivers the layout into reality by building what has been drawn on paper. Nigeria needs to train more personnel for the design, production, protection and repairs of farm machines.
Currently there are a few Nigerian institutions involved in training and grooming experts to build and maintain farm machines. These institutions should get support both financially and materially. Again, more people need to be endorsed to move for those training sessions.
When farmers see that the farm machinery personnel are well trained, they will gain more self assurance in the farm Mechanization process. This multiplied self belief will increase the adoption of farm Mechanization in Nigeria.
Mechanized farming is the use of machinery and equipment to make farm work easier and faster in order to increase farm productivity. In modern times, powered machinery has replaced many jobs formerly carried out by men or animals such as oxen, horses and mules. Mechanized Farming is the change from the use of human or animal power to do farm work into the use of machines to carry out all kinds of agricultural activities. It involves the manufacture, distribution, operation and maintenance of all types of farm tools, machines, equipment and implements.
Agricultural mechanization is an important input to agriculture for performing timely farm operations; reducing the cost of operation; maximizing the utilization efficiency of costly inputs (seeds, fertilizer, plant protection chemicals, water and agricultural machinery); improving the quality of produce; reducing drudgery in farm operations; improving the productivity of land & labour and for improving the dignity of labour.
Mechanization is the application of engineering principles and technology in agricultural production, storage and processing on the farm. Farm mechanization is applicable to land preparation, planting, fertilizer application, weeding and crop harvesting, Rearing, care and feeding of animals as well as processing and storage of Farm produce using appropriate Farm Machines. By applying this method, farmers are gaining more profits and are able to increase their productivity of yield.
There is no doubt that Nigeria is one of the countries blessed with a sizable portion of arable land and a favourable weather condition which is suitable for farming all year round. Despite having these natural advantages which are capable of making us a major exporter of raw and finished farm produce, on the contrary, we spend heavily on the importation of agricultural produce (raw and finished products).
From the aforementioned, the agricultural industry which is the highest employer of labour in Nigeria, is unable to meet up with the growing demand for all forms of agricultural produce in Nigeria. As a result, the country is forced to engage in unfavourable economic practices like the importation of food items and other agricultural products which could have been cultivated on our farmlands.
According to some studies, Nigeria has the 9th largest arable land. But some countries like France, with approximately half the size of Nigeria’s arable farmland, have been earning an average of 40 billion dollars from agricultural products in recent years. Yet, we're unable to earn that much in billion dollars from Agricultural export let alone fully maximize the benefits of being in a country with large arable land? The most logical answer to this thought-provoking question lies in our farming method. Up to this decade, lots of small and medium-scale farmers are still heavily involved in the utilization of labourers for planting and harvesting on their farmlands. With the continuous use of hoes, cutlass and other basic farm tools for commercial farming, we will be unable to profit from this multi-billion dollar industry.
How do we avert this danger of food insecurity and benefit from the great financial gains and the multifactorial tendencies in the agricultural industry? The surest answer to this question is by intensifying the use of mechanized farm equipment.
Mechanization is a crucial input for agricultural crop production and one that historically has been neglected in the context of developing countries. Factors that reduce the availability of farm power compromise the ability to cultivate sufficient land and have long been recognized as a source of poverty, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Increasing the power supply to agriculture means that more tasks can be completed at the right time and greater areas can be farmed to produce greater quantities of crops while conserving natural resources. Applying new technologies that are environmentally friendly enables farmers to produce crops more efficiently by using less power.
Farm mechanization has been adopted in Nigeria as there are some big farms in Nigeria that use big and sophisticated machines to carry out most of their farming operations. But in spite of the fact that mechanization has been adopted, the country is still facing problems experienced by a community which is not using agricultural mechanization. This is because even though a large percentage of the population is involved in agriculture (about over 70%), only few of them have access to modern farm machines and technology. The larger percentage of the farming population are still using primitive methods to perform their farming operations and this has led to low yields implying that the amount of goods produced is not enough to meet the needs of the teaming population of Nigeria.
Sustainable agricultural Mechanization can also contribute significantly to the development of value chains and food systems as it has the potential to render post harvest, processing and marketing activities and functions more efficient, effective and environmentally friendly.
MERITS OF MECHANIZED FARMING
Timelines of operation
It saves labour
It reduces health hazard
It reduces drigery
Increases in-Farm revenue
It encourages large scale Farming
Increase in output
Cooperation among farmers
It increases specialization of labour
It saves time
Reduction in cost of production
Improvement in quality of products
Availability of labour for other sectors
Use of less human labour
DEMERITS OF MECHANIZED FARMING
High cost
Displacement of workers
Compaction of soil
It causes environmental pollution
Degradation of landscape
Land tenure system
Destruction of soil structure
Redundancy of farm labour
Few crops can be mechanized
Inadequate technical know-how
Damage to crops
Inadequate spare parts
High cost of maintenance
Spread of pests and diseases
Human control
Unstable fuel supply.
METHODS TO IMPROVE MECHANIZED FARMING IN NIGERIA:
Reaching the Unreached Farm Extension Workers
Agricultural extension services need to be set up to enlighten farmers who want to apply Mechanization for all their farming operations to grow their productivity. Even more, these extension services will be vital to help smallholder farmers who are still clinging on to old ways to see the good in farm Mechanization and teach practical ways to embrace it.
It is true Nigeria has some agricultural extension offerings set up through the Federal and state governments, international agricultural corporations and some tertiary institutions. However, their offerings do not cover the introduction and adoption of the latest machines for farmers. To improve farm Mechanization in Nigeria, agricultural extension workers are the foot soldiers that will make it happen.
Local Machine Production
Another way to enhance farm Mechanization in Nigeria is to inspire the local production of some of these farm machinery and implements with raw materials sourced regionally. Nigeria is known to be endowed with numerous natural assets containing some of the raw materials that form the parts of these farm machines.
As an example, iron and carbon which combine together to shape metal processed to shape the essential components of all farm machines is present in commercial portions in Kogi state and a few other states.
This means that the local manufacturing of a few farm machines is viable in Nigeria if a conducive environment is created for it to take effect. If farmers can easily buy locally made but yet efficient machines, it will help their farming operations. There might be no need to go for expensive foreign ones which aren’t perfectly suited for their environment, anyway.
Personnel Training on Mechanized Farming
Farm machines will now not assemble themselves. A human has to design and another character delivers the layout into reality by building what has been drawn on paper. Nigeria needs to train more personnel for the design, production, protection and repairs of farm machines.
Currently there are a few Nigerian institutions involved in training and grooming experts to build and maintain farm machines. These institutions should get support both financially and materially. Again, more people need to be endorsed to move for those training sessions.
When farmers see that the farm machinery personnel are well trained, they will gain more self assurance in the farm Mechanization process. This multiplied self belief will increase the adoption of farm Mechanization in Nigeria.