Agricultural mechanization for activities such as land preparation, crop production, harvesting, processing, and transport of goods makes farming more efficient. It increases resource use efficiency, as well as labour and land productivity through higher precision and timely operations. It reduces drudgery, can lead to overall savings in labour and higher income, and therefore can improve the quality of life for farmers. The advantages of mechanization options for smallholder farmers, especially in developing countries can be considerable. Recently because of diffusion of mobile phones and internet in rural areas, the options for hiring farm machinery has increased.
In this unit, you will:
1. Gain an appreciation of the digital platforms and the transition to a service economy for farm machinery.
2. Understand and apply a simple tool to guide your decision as to whether you should hire or buy farm machinery.