Coimbatore: To help farmers who are facing shortage of farmhands due to the lockdown, the ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) at Vivekanandapuram, Karamadai in the district has been promoting the use of farm machinery for sowing and harvesting purposes. Scientists and agronomists from the KVK said earlier they had conducted demonstrations on farm mechanisation to farmers. Now, they are planning to connect farmers to rent and use machines for farm activities through farmer producer organisations (FPOs).
This would not only help them overcome shortage of farmhands and save farm labour cost but would also bring down waste during harvest, they said.
Senior scientist and head of the ICAR-KVK P Kumaravadivelu said with groundnut and pulses already harvested in some areas, it was a breather now before the next sowing happens after a couple of summer showers in areas such as SS Kulam, Annur and Perianaickenpalayam. “Farmers can use equipment such as rotovators to prepare their field,” he said.
The KVK has conducted demonstration of using farm machinery on a total of 20hecatres across Annur, Sirumugai and Pannimadai in the district, where they have trained farmers to use the equipment. “FPOs have bought the machines through the agriculture engineering department. We have given them technological inputs. Now we would coordinate farmers and connect them to the FPOs to rent and use the equipment. The rent would go to FPOs,” he said.
Suresh Kumar, an agronomist with the KVK said paddy and groundnut have the most number of farm machines. Groundnut has machinery for sowing, harvesting and stripping its shell, he said. “There is also an equipment ‘check basin former’ which is used to form partitions,” he said.
Suresh said they have held 10 demonstrations earlier and farmers have been responsive about the machinery. “When they have enough farmhands, they would not use these machinery as they would easily employ workers and finish their job. Three years ago, there was a shortage of farmhands and farmers used these machines. Now again as they face a crisis, they have come forward to use them,” he said.
This would not only help them overcome shortage of farmhands and save farm labour cost but would also bring down waste during harvest, they said.
Senior scientist and head of the ICAR-KVK P Kumaravadivelu said with groundnut and pulses already harvested in some areas, it was a breather now before the next sowing happens after a couple of summer showers in areas such as SS Kulam, Annur and Perianaickenpalayam. “Farmers can use equipment such as rotovators to prepare their field,” he said.
The KVK has conducted demonstration of using farm machinery on a total of 20hecatres across Annur, Sirumugai and Pannimadai in the district, where they have trained farmers to use the equipment. “FPOs have bought the machines through the agriculture engineering department. We have given them technological inputs. Now we would coordinate farmers and connect them to the FPOs to rent and use the equipment. The rent would go to FPOs,” he said.
Suresh Kumar, an agronomist with the KVK said paddy and groundnut have the most number of farm machines. Groundnut has machinery for sowing, harvesting and stripping its shell, he said. “There is also an equipment ‘check basin former’ which is used to form partitions,” he said.
Suresh said they have held 10 demonstrations earlier and farmers have been responsive about the machinery. “When they have enough farmhands, they would not use these machinery as they would easily employ workers and finish their job. Three years ago, there was a shortage of farmhands and farmers used these machines. Now again as they face a crisis, they have come forward to use them,” he said.
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