Contribution of Agricultural Engineering Research and Development in Production and Post Production Agriculture of India since Independence: Status and Future Perspectives

Abstract

The role of agricultural mechanization in production and post-production agriculture including that of livestock farming and aquaculture cannot be overlooked because, it facilitates timely completion of various unit operations, better utilization of inputs which provides better yield and higher production with no or minimum drudgery to the farm workers. Traditional agricultural tools and machines are now being replaced with improved energy-efficient equipment which utilizes renewable and nonrenewable energy sources in their operation. The likely future trend in agricultural mechanization by 2030 AD and beyond are use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) based remotely controlled unmanned vehicle/machine for tillage, sowing, irrigation, intercultural, chemical spray for plant protection, harvesting, and so on. As of now, the trend is for higher capacity and precision machinery, to be used on a custom hire basis or contract services. This trend has already been started and the GoI has already introduced a submission on agricultural mechanization. The level of processing from manual threshing and manual winnowing of food grain to multi-crop thresher to modern storage godown has been developed. The automated cleaning, grading, pulse milling, modernization of rice milling, cold storage, refrigerated storage, and advanced packaging system has been in place today. Agroprocessing centers in the production catchment need to be established and operated at panchayat and divisional (Tehsil) levels by following the principle of the circular economy. Also, for improving the field irrigation efficiency, the development in the irrigation tools/gadgets to shift from open channel to drip and sprinkler systems is highly desirable for saving water. Therefore, the use of renewable energy resources (especially solar and wind energy) for all such improvement could be an alternative to the exhaustive energy sources for sustainable growth and development of the agriculture sector.