What are the major farm mechanization technologies PARC has introduced so far?
Ans. Farm Machinery Institute (FMI) of PARC has developed and introduced the following farm mechanization technologies:
· Reaper-windrower (wheat and rice)
· Threshers (wheat, rice, groundnut, soybean, chickpea, sunflower, rapeseed/canola)
· Groundnut Digger
· Zero-till Drill (for sowing wheat after harvesting rice)
· Fertilizer Band Placement Seed Drill (Wheat)
· Row-crop Planter (sunflower and maize/corn)
· Wheat Straw Chopper-cum-blower
· Solar-cum-gas fired Fruits and Vegetables Dehydration System
· Reaper-windrower (Wheat and rice)
· Groundnut Digger
· Groundnut Thresher
· Sunflower Thresher
· Paddy Thresher
· Zero-till Drill (for sowing wheat after harvesting rice)
· Row-crop Planter (Sunflower and maize/corn)
· Wheat Straw Chopper-cum-blower
II. Mechanization technologies developed and being commercialized
· Mobile Seed Processing Unit
· Mobile Flat-bed Dryer (sunflower and canola)
· Wheat-cum-rapeseed/canola Thresher)
· Solar-cum-gas fired Fruits and Vegetable Dehydration System
· FMI Seeder (Zero-till drill for combine harvested rice fields)
What is the significance of farm mechanization for agriculture sector?
Ans. The mechanization technologies introduced by Farm Machinery Institute of PARC for crop sowing, harvesting and threshing operations has facilitated farmers and contributed in enhancing crop productivity in many ways, e.g.
- For timely and precise sowing/planting of wheat, maize and sunflower crops. The zero-tillage drill mainly adopted in the Punjab has covered around 20 percent of the rice-wheat area. The pneumatic row-crop planter has created awareness among the progressive maize and sunflower growers about substantial savings in high cost of hybrid seeds and precise planting of these crops.
- The reaper-windrower mainly used for wheat is harvesting around 20 percent of wheat area in the country. The paddy thresher is also being used for timely threshing of around 20 percent of paddy crop in Sindh and Balochistan. It has also contributed in reducing field grain losses and labor requirement besides improving quality of the produce. The groundnut digger, groundnut thresher and sunflower thresher have given relief to growers of these crops in reducing grain losses and labor requirement. There is a great potential of wheat straw chopper-cum-blower due to additional earnings of farmers from combine harvested wheat area besides eliminating the need for burning the straw.
The introduction of FMI-developed machines has created a financial impact of around Rs.-7,000 million besides generating employment opportunities in farm machinery manufacturing sector.
How many agreements and memorandum of understandings (MoUs) PARC has signed with public and private manufacturing sectors for commercialization of farm mechanization technologies?
Ans. PARC has signed 18 agreements and 3 MoUs with local farm machinery manufacturing companies for commercialization of mechanization technologies developed/introduced by FMI.
How PARC helps agricultural machinery manufacturers of Pakistan?
Ans. PARC is helping local agricultural machinery manufacturers through technical assistance, provision of engineering drawings of innovative technologies, organizing mechanization field days, policy inputs and technical guidance for improving quality of their products and marketing system.
What are the major recommendations for promotion of mechanized farming in Pakistan?
Ans.
- The existing capabilities of public sector Research and Development (R&D) institutions be strengthened
- New R&D institutes like Agricultural Machinery Research Institute (located in the Punjab) also be established in the other three provinces and AJK
- A national network for agricultural mechanization needs to be established to coordinate farm machinery R&D activities for efficient utilization of available resources alongwith new proposals to meet the farmers needs
- Suitable machinery be developed for livestock sector such as harvesting and chopping of fodder, silage making and storage, milking of animals, dairy products etc. at farm level
- The scope of R&D be extended to farm level processing for value addition to agricultural produce
- Print and electronic media be used for promotion of farm mechanization technologies.
- Private sector be in particular encouraged to contribute towards mechanization of agriculture sector and
o initiate in-house R&D activities
o improve quality and standard of their products
o improve their manufacturing set-ups to meet the local demand at competitive price
o establish customer hire services for costly agricultural machinery.
courtesy parc.gov.pk
