Farm Power Availability and its Perspective in Indian Agriculture

The input for performing various farming operations in Indian agriculture is essential ingredients. The source of power in India for mobile and stationary farm operations are human, draft animal, tractor, power tiller, combine harvester, diesel engine and electric motor. The power available per ha (net sown area) in the country was analysed as per the data available from population and livestock censuses, literature, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, tractor manufacturer association and power tiller association. The negative compound annual growth rate in net sown area is observed to be 0.084 per cent at national level from year 1990–91 to 2014–15. Farm workers and draft animal population is also declining. Share of farm women is expected to increase in agriculture which suggests gender-friendly prime mover for various mobile and stationary farm operations. The share of mechanical power is 74.42 per cent of total available power of 386.576 million KW in year 2020–21. Mobile power plays significant role in increasing food grain productivity in the country. The power availability per ha in year 2020–21 is 2.761 kW. Of this power availability per ha from tractor, power tiller, diesel engine, electric motor, animal and human is 1.64kW (59.38%), 0.03kW (1.02%), 0.39kW (14.028%), 0.54kW (19.57%), 0.084kW (3.025%) and 0.080kW (2.98%), respectively. Declining trend of human and draft animal in the country suggests for availability of small power source (walk-behind type) at catchment or household level for reduction of drudgery of farm worker with overall increase in productivity.