farm mechanization in bangladesh review
Bangladesh has managed to make significant progress in some aspects of farm mechanization, such as irrigation and tillage
Agricultural mechanization is the process of transferring energy between people and materials in a farm production system that uses a motor or automated device
It simplifies and reduces hard work, compensates for labor shortages, increases productivity and can contribute to mitigating climate-related threats
Agricultural mechanization in Bangladesh dates back to the early 1960s, when deep tube irrigation (DTW) was introduced
After independence in 1971, Bangladesh’s irrigation policy was radically changed by encouraging the use of shallow wells (STW) and low lift pumps (LLP)
A larger process of mechanization did not begin until after 1988, when import duties on some agricultural equipment, including two-wheel tractors (2WT), were removed
This policy change led to increased imports of engines and small machinery, mainly from China
As a result, the costs of agricultural machinery decreased and their sales increased significantly
Six years later, the import of two TWs is now completely tax-free and encourages the private sector to participate
Mechanized farming is a necessary part of modern agriculture
Most of the agricultural work is still done by hand
This article presents a report on the state of the country’s agricultural mechanisms and analyzes the historical changes in policies aimed at intensive agricultural mechanization
This study also identified potential industries that require urgent attention for mechanization
The manuscript considers how mechanization can help ensure the country’s food security by keeping agricultural operations on time
The urgent introduction of small combines during the COVID-19 pandemic was considered a commendable decision by the Bangladesh government
It also shows how the energy use of machines increases in the country through employment-based machine ownership models
Local manufacturing of agricultural machinery and spare parts was supported by the fact that small-scale industry developed in the field
Accordingly, we said that local companies should focus on precision manufacturing in the coming days
The script also emphasized the need to involve rural youth in the mechanization of sustainable agriculture
The steady growth in demand for agricultural machinery led to the establishment of local agricultural machinery manufacturing workshops in the country in the 1990s
As many of these workshops were gradually transforming into small-scale industries, the National Agricultural Policy of 1999 was characterized by the further expansion of this sector through the use of tax breaks and credit facilities
As a result, Bangladesh has emerged as one of the most mechanized agricultural economies in South Asia
The market size of agricultural machinery has grown continuously over time, and now the quality of the products is very important
Many local entrepreneurs manufactured low-quality machines and sold them to farmers at the cheapest price, which had a negative effect on the farmers
Therefore, maintaining a precision manufacturing process has emerged as a new challenge in this industry
The early growth of agricultural mechanization in Bangladesh was facilitated by a focus on small-scale machines that adapt to its social and economic situation
The second phase of growth was related to imported machines combined with local production of a few parts
The current and third phase of agricultural mechanization in Bangladesh is a factor in several public and private initiatives sponsored by the 2020 National Agricultural Mechanization Policy
This policy document emphasized the importance of appropriate scale mechanization in the country by ensuring technical support for the expansion of agricultural machinery at all levels
It also documented the need to develop and establish agricultural machinery service providers as a model of entrepreneurship
As a developing country, Bangladesh’s recent achievements are due to the sustainable growth of its agricultural sector
Despite commendable performance indicators, agricultural productivity is still very low in the country
The scientific community agrees that farm mechanization can contribute to the future growth of the agricultural sector by ensuring timely operations and reducing related costs
This is particularly important in order to reduce the negative effects of climate change, a victim of which Bangladesh is at the forefront
In times like the COVID-19 pandemic, many felt the need to mechanize farms
Since the outbreak of the epidemic, combined combine harvesters have been hastily deployed across the country to save millions of hectares of ripe rice grains from the imminent threat of early flooding
Similar initiatives in other sectors of agriculture, such as transplants, spraying and precision farming, can also increase the country’s overall agricultural productivity
It is therefore important to examine the strengths and weaknesses of agricultural mechanization in Bangladesh in the light of recent important developments
In this regard, we also looked at the possibilities of how agricultural mechanization can help Bangladesh’s economy in times like the COVID-19 epidemic and also during other natural disasters
State of farm mechanization
Bangladesh does not have a comprehensive and up-to-date census of agricultural machinery used in the country
For this reason, the compilation of the information presented in this study is based on the latest annual reports and reports of various ministries and institutions, the sales report of importers and the country’s major agricultural machinery manufacturers, which reflects the pre-pandemic scenario
Diesel engines have become quantitatively the most popular power source among farmers
They are mainly used to power irrigation pumps, although diesel engines are also used for many other agricultural tasks
For example, rural transport of agricultural products largely depends on small, locally made boats and wagons powered by diesel engines
This popularity can also be explained by the fact that the Bangladeshi government strongly supports diesel fuel
As a complete application, electric steering handles (2WT) powered by diesel engines are also at the top of the milling machine list (745,000 units)
Compared to four-wheeled tractors, 2WTs are inexpensive and they are also easy to move around in the fields
In addition, local technicians across the country have now learned how to repair and maintain the 2WT, encouraging farmers to invest in this equipment
