Status of farm mechanization and needs analysis

A survey of 240 farmers in Nueva Ecija [Philippines] was conducted to determine the status of farm mechanization in the area; assess the mechanization needs of farmers by farm operations; determine farmers' constraints in using and not using machines, and establish database for use by organizations and agencies with interest in farm mechanization. Across three production ecosystems, land preparation is increasingly becoming mechanized with the use of hand tractor. Crop establishment, crop care and maintenance and harvesting activities are done manually except for spraying using the hand-operated sprayer. Threshing is largely accomplished using a machine. Sun drying is still the predominant method being used. Farmers' primary concern is the mechanization of rice production to increase their productivity through more timely land preparation and solved labor shortage. Majority of them identified plowing, harrowing and leveling with very high priority for mechanization while harvesting and threshing with high priority. Farmers plan to invest more than P25,000 on new machine of high quality, durability, and low fuel consumption. Lack of money, small hectarage, high cost of machines, standing loans and low yield are the major constraints farmers face on having no plans of buying new machines. Hand tractor is the only machine that farmers can operate, maintain and repair well. Sixty-six percent of the farmers owned hand tractor but majority still wanted to have their own because it reduces production costs, less man-days required, and timelier farm operations. Very few stated to have transplanter, harvester, weeder and drumseeder. They still want to have training and demonstration on other commercially available machineries that can perform effectively in doing other rice-farming activities. This emphasize that not all farmers are aware of these machines, suggesting for effective promotion