Definition of Agricultural mechanization
• The application of engineering principles for operating farm machines with a view to increasing farm operations and output.
• The use of machines or sophisticated machines for various farm operations to encourage efficiency and guarantee increased productivity
AIMS/OBJECTIVES OF AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION
• Increase efficiency of production.
• reduce farm drudgery and hazards: make farm work easy, interesting and attractive.
• encourage farmers to practice large-scale farming.
• increase yield of farm produce and enable farmers maximize their profits.
• enhance the quality of farm produce: supply agro-based industries with adequate and good quality raw materials.
• ensure that farm work is carried out very fast. i.e. encourage timeliness of farm operations.
• reduce poverty and facilitate farmers to increase their income thus improving their standard of living.
• encourage investment in agriculture: facilitate the establishment of small scale industries and processing units in the rural areas.
Sources of POWER for agriculture
There are ways by which power are being generated for successful farm operation. Listed below are some ways;
HUMAN OR MANUAL SOURCE
Power rating (0.1 HP),
Most primitive
Highly inefficient
High energy consumption
Low cultivated area
- ANIMAL SOURCE*
Power rating(1-5 HP)
Better than manual/human
Larger capacity for animal drawn tools
Prone to pests and diseases
MECHANICAL SOURCE
Power rating(10-200HP)
More coverage of land
Highly efficient
High productivity
Expensive
Needs skilled labour
*Other ways include;
Solar From the sun (continuous, 3.41X106 Joules/m²). Useful for: space heating, water heating and crop drying.
Wind Used with wind vanes Nuclear Clean source Easily controlled
I hope you like it. Till next time we meet, I'm Lurvie.