(a) whether the Government proposes to take any steps for the
manufacture of innovative farm machines using appropriate and
indigenous technologies;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether such farm machines which are cost effective and user-friendly would bring about another green revolution in the country; and
(d) if so, the concrete steps proposed to be taken in this regard?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES AND AGRO AND RURAL INDUSTRIES (SHRI MAHABIR PRASAD)
(a): The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under the Ministry
of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Research and Education, is
involved in research and development of location and commodity specific
prototype farm machines through its Institutes and Cooperating Centres of
All India Coordinated Research Project on Farm Implements and Machinery
located at State Agricultural Universities and other Central Institutions.
(b): So far a large number of manual, animal and power operated farm machines
for land preparation, sowing, interculture, spraying, harvesting and threshing
have been designed and developed and many of these have been commercialized
by the ICAR under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education,
Ministry of Agriculture.
(c): These machines are cost effective and are user friendly. Efforts are on to
develop new machines suitable for hill agriculture, horticulture, precision
farming and straw management which would aid in further mechanization
and timely field operation resulting in increase in production and productivity
and better return to the farmers. Farm machines alone cannot bring green
revolution as other inputs like seeds, fertilizers, irrigation facilities, etc., also
contribute significantly. These would, however, contribute to increase
productivity.
(d): Work is going on to develop suitable machines for hill agriculture,
horticulture, precision farming and straw management etc. in the ICAR
under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry
of Agriculture.