Mechanization Indicating Parameters for Site Selection of Farm Machine Bank in Bihar

In Bihar, mechanization among small and marginal farmers has always been a big challenge. Mechanization in community mode targeting small and marginal farmers may be easily done through constitution of farm machine bank. But the main challenge is to find out a proper site for establishment of bank at village, block or district level so that majority of farmers may reach easily there and hire the machine that will give maximum profit. Under present study, two blocks from each four districts namly Darbhanga, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi in Bihar were considered for finding out a particular block for establishment of farm machine bank. Mechanization indicating parameters such as status of mechanization, cropping intensity, annual agricultural income of farmers, farmers’ choice for co-operative mechanization, power source (tractor) availability and tractor use pattern etc were accorded. The site for farm machine bank was found out through process of optimization of indicators. In Darbhanga, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi districts Benipur, Madhwapur, Sakra and Dumra blocks respectively were selected having cumulative qualitative grade A⁴B² as compared to their counterpart blocks.