Perception of the Mechanization of Rice Cultivation and Its Effects on the Soil in the Senegal River Valley

In Senegal, particularly in the Senegal River valley, agricultural mechanization remains limited, mainly due to a lack of agricultural equipment, a lack of expertise in agricultural machinery and an apprehension of the consequences on soil quality. To better understand agricultural mechanization of rice cultivation, this survey study has been carried out in the Senegal river valley. Precisely, this work aimed to characterize farm machinery and its effects on soil and rice cultivation. A questionnaire was administered to 304 out of 1270 farmers, spread over 8 rice-growing areas, 4 of which are located in the Podor department, three in Dagana and one in Saint-Louis. The results showed that 99.3% of farmers used motorized equipment, with 95.7% using tractor and 3.6% a power tiller. Offset tillage, which is a shallow cultivation practice carried out to break up hard soil without turning it over, was most widespread among growers (95.4%). 78.3% of the valley’s farmers felt that the machinery used to carry out tillage operations was inefficient. According to the farmers, the main constraints on the use of agricultural machinery in the valley were: the upkeep and maintenance of equipment (57%), the lack of expertise in mechanization (31%), and issues adapting machinery to local conditions (12%). Those constraints have contributed to a drop in yields in recent years, the spread of weeds on cultivated plots and the gradual degradation of the soil in the area according to 78% of farmers.

Sustainable agricultural mechanization in Timor-Leste:status,challenges and further action

Despite many efforts over two decades of independence,Timor-Leste's cereal production and agricultural productivity have decreased dramatically,reflected by high food insecurity and rural poverty.This paper analyses the country's current agricultural mechanization efforts to guide future actions that aim to stimulate growth through sustainable mechanization.We combined information from scientific publications,governmental and international cooperation communications,and data collected during field missions to assess the situation.Our study provides recommendations to reverse a failed tractorization campaign and presents a comprehensive overview of a strategy,in alignment with a proposed and renewed national agricultural mechanization policy,that would enable the modernization and sustainable intensification of current food production systems in a nutrition-sensitive,climate-smart,economically viable,and gender-inclusive fashion.The recommendations suggest a focus on scale-appropriate solutions that respond to upland smallholder farmers'capacities and consider good rural transport options,with the first steps to redirect the situation already taken through a technical cooperation program between FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture.Beyond this,a reform of the current government mechanization hire schemes is needed:integrated approaches,as found from business model analyses and training exercises during field missions,are needed,that entail context-specific solutions for targeted rural communities,with special attention given to participatory extension,inclusive co-validation of technologies,and private sector-led business model development around mechanization service delivery.Finally,the authors hope the presented way forward can serve as a roadmap for smallholder farmers and developing nations in similar conditions elsewhere in the world.

Factors Affecting the Adoption of Agricultural Mechanization Technologies by Women Farmers in the Karaga District of Ghana

Labour-saving or mechanization technologies have become the driving force behind modern agriculture, yet adoption of these technologies remains low in many parts of the developing world, particularly among female farmers in Ghana. This study aims to investigate the factors that hinder the adoption of agricultural mechanization technologies by female farmers in the Karaga District of the Northern Region of Ghana. This region is known for its large agricultural lands and significant role in commercial farming. The research was conducted using qualitative research methodology and involved interviewing 60 female farmers using an interview guide. The principle of sample saturation was used, meaning that further interviews were deemed unnecessary after the 60th interview. The results showed that low adoption of agricultural mechanization technologies is due to poor access to commercial lands, gender biases, lack of access to credit, and poor awareness about the benefits of these technologies. In conclusion, the low adoption of agricultural mechanization technologies is preventing women farmers in the Karaga District and elsewhere in Ghana from fully participating in commercial agricultural production. It is recommended that gender biases and cultural stereotypes be addressed to improve women farmers’ access to lands and credit, which will facilitate the adoption of mechanization technologies and lead to improved agricultural production.

Study on Mechanization Hybrid Rice Seed Production Technology and Combine Breeding Advances

[Objectives]Current hybrid rice seed production mechanization and a new kind of hybrid rice seed production mechanization using Bentazone sensitive lethal genes for mechanized seed production technology are introduced in this paper.[Method]Sensitive Restorer Bentazone lethal dose of filtering,parental and seed weight are bred combinations of several aspects of the system described,and presented mechanized seed technology new research directions.[Results]The method of using Bentazone sensitive lethal genes for mechanized seed production technology is feasible,economic,seed production and combination advantages.[Conclusions] Using Bentazone sensitive lethal genes for mechanized seed production technology is the new study direction of mechanic production.

Cassava Production in NigeriamAn Application of Mechanization Levels

Cassava （Manihot esculenta Crantz） is globally known for its versatility. Its demand in the global market has increased in recent times. Many scholars have opined that the development of this root crop will boost rural economy especially in developing economies. This study investigates the production of cassava in Nigeria using different mechanization levels, which include： Hand Tools Technology （HTT）, Draught Animal Technology （DAT） and Engine Powered Technology （EPT）. These levels are classified into, low level mechanization, fair level mechanization and high level mechanization. The results show that the level of mechanization was high, only in land preparation while spraying, stem-cutting and weeding have low mechanization level. This shows that there are many unacceptable machines and suggests that efforts should be made to encourage cassava production considering the high economic, social and medical importance.

Preliminary Study on the Mechanization Demand of Orchards in North China

From the production management practice of fruit trees in North China by agricultural research institutions,combining the relevant national policies and documents in recent years,the demand for orchard machinery in fruit tree production of North China is summarized,and preliminary thoughts and suggestions are put forward.It could promote the joint of machinery and agriculture(industry,university,research and application departments),and improve mechanization level of orchards in North China.

Modeling and Analysis of Mechanization Projects of Wheat Production by GERT Networks

In crop production systems,all operations such as seed bed preparation,etc.,must be accomplished on time,if yield reduction and low quality product are to be avoided.Therefore all operations in mechanized cropping projects require precise scheduling,planning and management.The basic approach in all scheduling techniques is to form a network of activities and events relationships that graphically portrays the sequential relations between the tasks in a project.Such a network would as a powerful tool available a farm manager to plan,schedule,monitor and control a project.Since GERT（Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique） networks have most of advantages associated with networks and available system analyst in exact evaluation of certain types of networks,in this research it was used and mechanized wheat production system was simulated,modeled and analyzed.Critical activities,events and path were determined.Results showed that the network model was able to answer any statistic questions concerning with the project.Network models,particularly GERT networks are increasingly powerful tool for modeling,scheduling,planning,controlling,and analyzing of agricultural mechanization projects.

Determination of coal mine mechanization using fuzzy logic

Two of the most important tasks in coal mines are to improve efficiency and to increase production besides keeping safety constantly in mind.In order to obtain these goals,mine mechanization is required.Mine mechanization needs high levels of investment and should therefore be studied carefully before final decisions about mechanization are made.When analysizing the potential for mechanization the following,rather imprecise,factors should be considered:seam inclination and thickness,geological disturbances,seam floor conditions,roof conditions,water at the working face and the extension of seams.In our study we have used fuzzy logic,membership functions and created fuzzy rule-based methods and to considered the ultimate objective:mechanization of mining.As a case study,the mechanization of the Takht coal seams in Iran was investigated.The results show a high potential for mechanization in most of the Takht coal seams.

A Study of Mechanization of Cotton Harvesting in India and Its Implications

Cotton is one of the most important crops throughout the history of India and it also plays an important role in social and economic aspects of the Indian society in the present age. Recent technological advances and trade liberalization have made India a major player in international cotton markets. In the year 2011-2012, India was the world＇s second largest producer, consumer and exporter of cotton. The increasing role of the Indian cotton sector in international markets is a direct challenge to other major players like the US. Within this context, a better understanding of the Indian cotton sector and the impact of mechanization on cotton cultivation are needed. The overall objective of this paper is to assess the competitiveness of Indian cotton producers and potential implications for India as a competitor in the world cotton market if it mechanizes harvesting of cotton. The results demonstrate that the net income of the Indian cotton farmers will increase considerably with the mechanization of cotton harvesting. But the adoption of the practice of harvesting cotton by mechanical means is possible only if efforts from many private and public agencies come together. In that scenario, the cotton production in India can increase considerably which can impact the international markets.

Research of Primary Agricultural Mechanization in Developing Countries

For providing a correct and reasonable strategy to develop agricultural mechanization in developing countries, this paper took China as the representative to analyze the poor agricultural equipment service condition. It also put forward the ecology and social crisis brought out by the long-term and large-scale primary mechanization. According to the characteristics of national condition, this paper brought forward several certain policies and solutions, such as compelling to shorten the continuance cycle of traditional primary stage, seeking for new economic growth poles of high-added-value agricultural production by fully using the abundant labor force, etc. It is a feasible technical program to develop harmonious agricultural modernization in developing countries

On the Mechanization of SCO

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has gone through its initial period over the past two years since the signing of the Declaration of the SCO in June 2001. With the issue of some important documents like.

A Study of the Development of Agricultural Mechanization in Kunming

Kunming City has entered the rapid development stage of urbanization. In the course of building the urban modern agriculture, the agricultural mechanization of Kunming City is being faced with excellent development opportunity. In this paper, the author scientifically analyzed current development situations of agricultural mechanization in Kunming City and explored existing problems in the course of development. On the basis of analysis, the author put forward recommendations, including increasing scientific research input for agricultural machinery, supporting agricultural machinery enterprises, promoting scientific and technical innovation, taking characteristic industries (such as flowers and vegetables) as pillar industry, speeding up development of modern facility agriculture, and upgrading primary processing of agricultural products. These will play significant role in the development of agricultural mechanization in Kunming City.

Effects of aggregating forests, establishing forest road networks, and mechanization on operational efficiency and costs in a mountainous region in Japan

We investigated forest road networks and forestry operations before and after mechanization on aggregated forestry operation sites. We developed equations to estimate densities of road networks with average slope angles, operational efficiency of bunching operations with road network density, and average forwarding distances with operation site areas. Subsequently, we analyzed the effects of aggregating forests, establishing forest road networks, and mechanization on operational efficiency and costs. Six ha proved to be an appropriate operation site area with minimum operation expenses. The operation site areas of the forest owners＇ cooperative in this region aggregated approximately 6 ha and the cooperative conducted forestry operations on aggregated sites. Therefore, 6 ha would be an appropriate operation site area in this region. Regarding road network density, higher-density road networks increased operational expenses due to the higher direct operational expenses of strip road establishment. Therefore, road network density should be reduced to approximately 200 m.

Status and Constrain for Mechanization of Rice Harvesting System in Bangladesh

To know the position, problems and suggestion of harvest mechanization of rice, the study conducted in 21 upzillas under seven regions (Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Comilla, Bogra, Rajshahi and Rangpur) based on different agro-climatic condition and cropping intensity and 126 farmers participated in the interview. For collecting data, a structured questionnaire was used and statistical analysis of the collected data was carried out. In study area, the average cultivable area was 225 to 1239 decimal (1 decimal = 40 m2) and 97.60% farmer reaping by sickle and only 0.80% used combine harvester. Cut paddy transported by head (13.49%), shoulders (12.7%) or both of them of 11.11% farmer and 44.44% of farmers used small truck or field threshed. Threshing was mainly done using (49.21%) closed drum thresher and open drum thresher (26.20%), likewise 1 of 126 farmer use head-feed combine harvester. The study area, most farmers (37.3%) used kula for the cleaning of rice, but only 8.74% of farmers used winnower. In considerable amount, 80.95% of farmers had machinery, while the remaining (19.05%) did not have machines. Farmers agreed that harvesting was a labor-intensive method (35.71%) and time consuming (28.57%). Transporting of harvested paddy was dangerous and painful for head, shoulder, hand, waist, backbone, leg, etc. With mechanization and the introduction of machinery, 40.48% of farmers identified the main ceiling as the price of the machine and information/lack of credit system (21.43%). In survey area, most farmers (36.51%) identified the vital advantage of mechanized harvesting as lower labor requirement, while 21.43% of farmers said that a lower loss of rice. All farmers who participated in the interview expressed their need for machinery and mentioned agricultural credit with easy terms and conditions, subsidy for buying machinery and the ensuring of a fair market price for their rice.

Application of fuzzy logic for determining of coal mine mechanization

The fundamental task of mining engineers is to produce more coal at a given level of labour input and material costs, for optimum quality and maximum efficiency. To achieve these goals, it is necessary to automate and mechanize mining operations. Mechanization is an objective that can result in significant cost reduction and higher levels of profitability for underground mines. To analyze the potential of mechanization, some important factors such as seam inclination and thickness, geological disturbances, seam floor conditions and roof conditions should be considered. In this study we have used fuzzy logic, membership functions and created fuzzy rule-based methods and considered the ultimate objective： mechanization of mining. As a case study, the mechanization of the Tazare coal seams in Shahroud area of Iran was investigated. The results show a low potential for mechanization in most of the Tazare coal seams.

Development on the Calculation Software Package of the Contribution Rate of Mechanization in Agriculture

This paper introduces a software specially in calculating the contribution rate of machanization in agriculture by usng economy math method,computer technology and Visual Basic 6.0 version.The software package has friendly interface,simple operating way and accurate,feasible calculating method.It greatly changes the condition in the past which had considerable lots of data and miscellaneous and trivial methods,which were even hard to seek answer.So it has very high practicl value.

Impacts of Agricultural Mechanization on Agricultural Production in Guangdong Province

Agricultural machinery represents modern method and modern condition of production, and Agricultural mechanization is the key basis and symbol of modern agriculture. Based on analyses of agricultural mechanization development in Guangdong Province from 1988 to 2008, production function was developed to estimate the effects of agricultural mechanization on agricultural production. The results indicated that the contribution of agricultural mechanization to production continues to increase. The agricultural mechanization increased by 1%, and grain production by0.35%. Therefore, government should encourage development of agricultural mechanization in order to improve agricultural production in Guangdong Province.

Exploration and Practice of Personnel Cultivation for Agricultural Mechanization and Automation Specialities

Firstly, based on significance of developing agricultural mechanization and automation and current situations of agricultural mechanization and automation specialities in colleges and universities, we put forward objectives of personnel cultivation for agricultural mechanization and automation specialities. Then, we analyze the exploration and practice of personnel cultivation for agricultural mechanization and automation specialities from four aspects, including course system setting, teaching materials construction, laboratory construction, and construction of practical teaching link. Finally, it is expected to provide references for running schools and cultivating excellent professional personnel.

The Influence of Agricultural Mechanization on the Development of Agricultural Economy in Chongqing City

The impact of the agricultural mechanization development on the agricultural economy has caught public attention. In this paper,the role of the agricultural mechanization in the agricultural economic development of Chongqing is analyzed with the qualitative and quantitative methods based on econometrics and agricultural engineering theory,and its contribution rate is 30. 6%. Moreover,the development of agricultural mechanization of the agricultural economy will play a leading role in the 21 st century,and will change the traditional economic development mode featured by increasing agricultural labor and chemical fertilizer. The quality and quantity of agricultural labor force mastering modern science technology is the key to the development of modern agricultural economy.

Efficient Frontier via Production Functions and Mechanization

This study attempts to reconcile data envelopment analysis (DEA) with the production function approach in economics. We examine not only the inputs of capital and labor, but also the ranges of these inputs in production process steps, and endogenously derive a Leontief production function. The Leontief production functions shift northeasterly owing to mechanization, which is the replacement of labor inputs by capital inputs in some steps. Consequently, we describe the efficient frontier as the convex hull of the Leontief production functions. Furthermore, we consider the possibility of efficient production below the efficient frontier.