SKUAST's Farm Mechanisation Project struggles to gain traction

Srinagar, June 25:  The farm mechanisation project launched by the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology (SKUAST)- Kashmir has received a lukewarm response from the farmers, throwing up a major challenge for the varsity to popularise the project.

The Farm Mechanisation Project under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) was introduced in 2014 to increase the production of the farmers. But the much-hyped initiative is yet to take off properly. The project was launched to modernise the practice of planting paddy saplings through self-propelled and manual-propelled machines. The machines were introduced to save farmers' time of farmers and increase the productivity of paddy fields.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Dean Faculty of Agriculture SKUAST-K Wadura, Dr Raihana Habib Kanth said that the faculty of agriculture was consistently intensifying the efforts on conversion of conventional practices to modern practices to increase the productivity of rice.

"We introduced the Farm Mechanisation Project in 2014 and held several demonstrations in various districts including Budgam and Ganderbal. But the farmers do not turn up. We are getting a lukewarm response from the farmers despite holding various demonstrations in the field at various locations," Kanth said.

She said under the Farm Mechanisation Project of HADP, various machines were procured by the SKUAST-K and Agriculture department as well but the participation of the farmers is very less.

"The project has not been taken up because of various reasons that include the availability of machines at local or block level. Another issue is that the land is not properly levelled," she said.

Amid the lukewarm response of the farmers, the Department of Science and Technology J&K has approved the project to popularise the technology used under Farm Mechanisation Project of SKUAST-K.

"We are holding continuous deliberations with farmers to popularise the technology but their participation in adopting it has remained a challenge so far," Dean Faculty of Agriculture SKUAST-K Wadura," Dr Kanth said.

She said that farmers are not ready to provide their land as they remain apprehensive of losses. "When we did some demonstrations on the field in Ganderbal and Budgam, farmers witnessed how the machine works and how beneficial it is for them in every aspect. But next year they did not turn up for it and instead continued with the traditional practice of planting paddy saplings," she said.

She said the machines used under Farm Mechanisation Project are cost effective and consume less time. "The machines cover around two and a half kanals of land in one hour. It is cost effective as well, but the farmers do not get involved in it," she said.

Last year, the SKUAST-Kashmir held a day long awareness program on ‘Farm Mechanization for Better Production, Productivity and Profitability’ at Krishi Vikas Kendra, Budgam. Despite the participation of farmers in the program, the University is getting almost zero response from the farmers for adoption of the technology in their paddy fields.

Notably, by using the technology for mechanical rice transplanting by self-propelled rice transplanter, a farmer can get saplings done for 2.5 kanals of land in one hour and the cost of transplanting by transplanter is only Rs 1000 per hectare.

The consumption of diesel is only 3.5 litres per hectare and man day required is one driver and two helpers.

"The machine transplants eight rows at a time apart 23.8cm row to row and 14 or 17cm plant to plant," she said.