Perspectives of farm mechanization in the East Coastal ecosystem of India.
Annamalai S. J. K., Ravindra Naik
Author Affiliation: Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering-Regional Centre, T.N.A.U. Campus, Coimbatore - 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India.
Agricultural and biosystems engineering for a sustainable world. International Conference on Agricultural Engineering, Hersonissos, Crete, Greece, 23-25 June, 2008 : P-127
Abstract : The Eastern Coast Plains of India is on the East Coast encompassed by the Bay of Bengal Sea. This zone comprises of the coastal plains of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Pondicherry province of the country. This zone is predominantly the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. This zone has several important rivers flowing towards East to the Bay of Bengal, irrigating vast delta area and providing irrigation lifeline to the crops. The major crops of this zone are paddy, sugarcane, groundnut, mustard, sorghum, maize, other millets, pulses, vegetables, banana, coconut, mango, cashew nut and orchard crops. The details of the cropping patterns, fish farming, operational holdings land holdings etc are given in the paper. Major objectives for Agricultural Mechanisation in this zone, mechanisation Package, Farm Power Availability, diversification of Agriculture, infrastructure for Extension of Agricultural Mechanisation, Human Resource Development to Support Mechanisation Programmes, R&D and Testing Facilities, Present Scenario of Agricultural Machinery Manufacture and Service Facilities and Adoption pattern of New Improved Machinery by Manufacturers are discussed in this paper. This paper would give a lead to the policy makers to develop long term strategies and programmes for mechanization of Agriculture for east coast plains of India.