With changing times, agriculture has transformed into a mechanized industry from merely depending on manual labor. Today, farming equipment has become an indispensable part of agriculture and boosted agricultural production. Right from seeding to harvesting, various agriculture equipment play a crucial role at different stages of crop cultivation.
Ploughs and Tillers
The first step towards cultivation involves tilling and preparing the soil for sowing seeds or planting saplings. For this purpose, ploughs and tillers are the most fundamental agriculture equipment used worldwide. Ploughs are agricultural implements primarily used for initial cultivation by turning over the upper soil layers. There are different types of ploughs available based on soil type and geographical region. Tillers are versatile machines that assist in tilling, weeding, and breaking soil clumps. They perform multiple functions of ploughing, harrowing, and leveling the field in a single pass. The introduction of power tillers further increased the area under cultivation within a short period. Both ploughs and tillers play a vital role in soil preparation and are necessities for any farmland.
Seed Drills and Planters
Once the field is ready after tilling, the next step is sowing or planting of seeds and seedlings. For even distribution of seeds at proper depth and spacing, seed drills and planters are utilized. Seed drills come in both narrow and broad types and distributes seeds uniformly by opening narrow furrows. Whereas planters are suitable for sowing crops requiring deep planting of seeds like maize, cotton, sunflower etc. Powered seed drills and planters have made seeding more efficient by covering large areas quickly compared to traditional manual methods. Precision seeding helps maximize yield by maintaining optimum plant population.
Fertilizer Spreaders
For boosting soil fertility and encouraging healthy plant growth, applying fertilizers appropriately is crucial. Fertilizer spreaders help distribute different types of fertilizers uniformly across the field whether solid, liquid or granular form. Walk-behind and tractor-mounted spreaders are commonly used agricultural implements. Liquid fertilizer spreaders spray fertilizer mixed with water uniformly through nozzles. Granular fertilizer spreaders spread dry fertilizers precisely based on pre-set application rate. With accurate application, fertilizer spreaders prevent over-use and ensure nutrients are received by each plant.
Harvesters and Threshers
Timely harvesting is essential to prevent yield losses and ensure optimum crop maturity. Powered harvesters have transformed the harvesting process by performing multiple tasks simultaneously. Combine harvesters cut, thresh, separate and clean crops in a single pass, greatly reducing the requirement of manual labor. For crops like wheat and rice, combine harvesters have become popular harvesting equipment. As for coarse grains and legumes, threshers help process crops faster after manual cutting and Gathering from the field. Advanced harvesting equipment like potato harvesters and forage harvesters are specialized for specific crops/produce. Overall, harvesters have increased the speed, efficiency and reduced drudgery in harvesting operations.
Irrigation Equipment
With depleting water resources and changing climate, proper irrigation management has become crucial especially for rain-fed crops. To ensure adequate and well-timed water supply to crops, Center Pivot and Lateral Move sprinklers, drip and sprinkler irrigation systems are extensively used. Center Pivot irrigation systems provide flexible circular irrigation coverage over large areas with minimum labor. Lateral move and Linear move sprinklers save water through precise controlled application. Whereas drip irrigation is recommended for vegetables, orchards and high-value crops owing to its water efficiency. Submersible pumps and diesel motors have empowered farmers to lift water from various sources for agricultural needs. All these irrigation equipment are contributing immensely towards increasing irrigation potential and higher water productivity.
Other Supportive Equipment
Besides the aforementioned major agricultural machinery, there are various other innovative farm equipment assisting farmers at diverse stages. Weeders are used for in-line weeding between crops, popularly in sugarcane and vegetables. Thinners maintain optimum plant spacing during early growth. Sprayers cover large areas quickly while applying fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides to protect crops from pathogens. Harvested produce needs proper post-harvest processing, sorting and storage for value addition. For this, equipment like threshers, cleaners, graders, packers, and cold storage facilities play an instrumental role. Tractors and power tillers provide power for many implements, reducing drudgery and time involved in farming activities. Various attachments to these power sources further expand their utility.
Modern Equipment Lifting Small Farming
In addition to large Agriculture Equipment, smallholder farmers are also immensely benefiting from new affordable agricultural machinery. Walk-behind tractors, powered rotavators, manual seed drills are boosting productivity on small landholdings in developing nations. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched the 'Smallholder Agriculture Mechanization' program to strengthen low-cost farm equipment custom designed for small farms. FAO worked with various manufacturers globally to develop appropriate machinery suitable for local cropping patterns. For instance, power weeders, two-wheel tractors, mills, and post-harvest equipment are now catering the needs of millions of smallholder farmers across Asia and Africa. Such efforts aim to lift small and marginal farmers out of poverty through increased income from higher yields and value addition.
Farm mechanization has undoubtedly revolutionized agriculture around the world. While increasing production volumes swiftly, it has also significantly reduced drudgery associated with manual fieldwork. The advent of innovative crop-specific farm machinery is optimizing agricultural operations at every step. Not only established farmers but small landholders too are harnessing benefits of affordable agricultural implements. Going forward, newer technologies like robotics, GPS guidance and automation would further modernize agricultural practices globally. While boosting agricultural contribution to the GDP, farming equipment will continue empowering livelihoods of millions associated with agriculture.
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