CHAPTER ONE

CONCEPT OF AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION

1.1. Introduction
Agricultural/Farm mechanization embraces the use of tools, implements and machines for
agricultural land development, production, harvesting and on farm processing. As a discipline
agricultural mechanization covers the manufacture, distribution and utilization of tools,
implements and machines. Equipment used in the farm may be divided into two groups, that is,
farm power and machinery. Farm machinery refers to hand tools, animal drawn implements and
power-operated equipment used for performing various field operations in the production of
agricultural crops. For a machine to function, it must be provided with an input of physical work by
a source of power: human, animal or mechanical power. The two should be properly integrated in
any agricultural mechanization program. The use of farm machinery helps to achieve improved
timeliness of farm operations and efficient use of inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, chemicals and
irrigation water to enhance productivity of land, labor and also reduces drudgery on the farm. Thus,
the machinery and power source are complementary to one another. Often there is a tendency to
treat each in isolation, in the sense that it is often thought that obtaining a tractor is attaining
mechanization. Unless the tractor has a full set of implements for various operations, its full
effectiveness is not achieved. Generally, farm equipment and the techniques associated with its use
broadly constitute the field of agricultural mechanization.
1.2. Terminologies in Agricultural mechanization
Agricultural Mechanization involves the design, manufacture, distribution, use and servicing of
all types of agricultural tools, equipment and machines. It includes three main power sources:
human, animal and mechanical with special emphasis on mechanical (tractive power).
Farm Mechanization is technically equivalent to agricultural mechanization but refers to only
those activities normally occurring at the farm unit level (village, community, co-operatives..)
Agricultural Equipment refers to stationary mechanical devices such as irrigation pump-set.
Agricultural Implements are devices attached to, pulled behind, pushed, or otherwise used with
human, animal or mechanical power source to carry out an agricultural operation.
Agricultural Machinery is a general term used to describe tractors, combines, implements, machines
and any other device more sophisticated than hand tools which are animal or mechanically
powered.
Tractorization refers to the application of any size tractor to activities associated with agriculture.
Motorization application of mechanical motors or engines to activities related to agriculture

1|P age
Agricultural Machinery and Implements, Teaching material, 2nd year, Agricultural Economics
Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture an Environmental Science
Arsi University By: Gudina Abdisa/2025
1.3. Level, objectives and benefits of farm mechanization
Levels of Agricultural Mechanization
In any economy there are three levels of agricultural mechanization/use of agricultural technology.
Hand Tool Technology: It is the use of tools and simple implements powered by human muscle. This
is the simplest and most basic level of technology or level of agricultural mechanization.
Draft Animal Technology: It refers to implement and simple machines utilizing animal muscle as a
power source.
Mechanical or Engine Power Technology: This one is the most sophisticated level of agricultural
mechanization. It embraces all agricultural machines powered by mechanical power sources. These
technologies may be divided in land saving technology, the use of improved seed, irrigation, and
fertilizer, applying sufficient inputs and incentives and knowledge for farmers and labour-saving
technology, the use of mechanization and crop pattern which favours less labour input.
Objectives of Mechanization
In general, the objectives of agricultural mechanization in any economy are to;
 increase the productivity per agricultural worker
 increase in land productivity
 decrease cost of production
 change the character of farm work, avoids drudgery and makes rural life attractive.
 improve the qualities of field operations
Benefits of Mechanization
 Timeliness of operation and good quality of work
 Good cropping intensity and faster turnaround
 Reduction of crop losses
 Increase in the cultivated area
1.4. Source of farm power
Farm Power is an essential input in agriculture for timely field operations for increasing production
and productivity of land. Farm power is used for operating different types of machinery like tillage,
planting, plant protection, harvesting and threshing machinery and other stationary jobs like
operating irrigation equipment, threshers/ shellers / cleaners/ graders etc. There are different
sources of farm power available which are classified as
 Human power
 Animal power
 Mechanical power

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Agricultural Machinery and Implements, Teaching material, 2nd year, Agricultural Economics
Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture an Environmental Science
Arsi University By: Gudina Abdisa/2025
Natural power sources (Biogas, wind, water and solar) has been included under mechanical power,
since a mechanical device is required to transfer this power into useful work.

Human Power: Human power is the main source for operating small implements and tools at the
farm. Stationary work like chaff cutting, lifting, water, threshing, winnowing etc are also done by
manual labour. An average man can develop maximum power of about 0.1 hp for doing farm work.

Figure: 1.1. Human power

Animal Power: Power developed by an average pair of bullocks about 1 hp for usual farm work.
Bullocks are employed for all types farm work in all seasons. Besides bullocks, other animals like
camels, horses, donkeys, mules and elephants are also used at some places.

Figure: 1.2. Animal power

Mechanical Power: Broadly speaking, mechanical power includes stationary oil engines, tractors, power
tillers and self-propelled combines.

Figure: 1.3. Mechanical Power

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Agricultural Machinery and Implements, Teaching material, 2nd year, Agricultural Economics
Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture an Environmental Science
Arsi University By: Gudina Abdisa/2025
Electrical Power: is used mostly in the form of electrical motors on the farms. Electrical power is
used for water pumping, dairy industry, cold storage, farm product processing industry etc.

Figure: 1.4. Electrical Power

Renewable Energy: is the energy mainly obtained from renewable sources of energy. Biogas energy,
wind energy and solar energy are used in agriculture and domestic purposes with suitable devices.

Figure: 1.5. Renewable Energy

1.5. Mechanical Power Transmission Devices

Mechanical power systems are composed of pulleys, sprockets, gears, bearings, shafts, and
numerous other components that are used to deliver power to the individual components of a
machine and to change it to meet each component’s requirement. Changes in speed, direction of
rotation, or torque may be needed.

Belt Drive: to transmit power from one shaft to another, pulleys are mounted on the two shafts. The
pulleys are then connected by an endless belt passing over the pulleys. The connecting belt is kept
in tension so that motion of one pulley is transferred to the other without slip. The speed of the
driven shaft can be varied by varying the diameter of the two pulleys.

Figure: 1.6. Belt Drive

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Agricultural Machinery and Implements, Teaching material, 2nd year, Agricultural Economics
Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture an Environmental Science
Arsi University By: Gudina Abdisa/2025
Chain Drive: The chain drive consists of three elements – driving sprocket, driven sprocket and
endless chain wrapped around the sprocket as shown in fig. Pin joint contains, pin, bush and roller
to minimize the friction and such chains are known as roller bush chain.

Figure: 1.7. Chain drive

The chain drive is positive drive where there is no slip & constant velocity ratio can be maintained.
Chain drive used in bicycle, motorbike, printing machine, textile machine etc.
Gear Drive: In gear drive no. of teeth are cut on both the blanks of the gear wheel which mesh with
each other. The projections on one disc and recesses on other disc are made to mesh with each
other to avoid slipping.

Figure: 1.8. Gear drive

Power Take Off (PTO): it is a part of tractor transmission system. It consists of a shaft, a shield and
a cover. The shaft is externally splined to transmit torsional power to another machine. A rigid
guard fitted on a tractor covers the power-take-off shaft as a safety device.

PTO shaft

Figure: 1.9. PTO drive

5|P age
Agricultural Machinery and Implements, Teaching material, 2nd year, Agricultural Economics
Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture an Environmental Science
Arsi University By: Gudina Abdisa/2025