Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM) - Farm Mechanisation scheme

Here we will discuss about Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM), a farm mechanization scheme launched in 2014-15.

Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM)

1) Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare - Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare.

2) Launched in : FY 2014-15

3) Objective:

Promote agricultural mechanisation among small and marginal farmers and in the areas where the level of mechanisation is very low.

4) In addition to the Agricultural Mechanisation Submissions (SMM), farm mechanisation is also promoted through various other schemes and programmes of the Ministry such as RKVY, NFSM, NHM, NMOOP etc.

5) SMAM not only includes the traditional component of 

• training,
• testing, 
• demonstration of agricultural machinery and 
• procurement subsidy 

but also includes:

• Farm Machinery Banks for Custom Hiring, 
• Hi-Tech High Productive Equipments Centres on custom hiring model, and 
• Farm Mechanisation 

in selected villages for enhancing productivity and creating ownership of appropriate farm equipments among small and marginal farmers. 

Establishment of Farm Machinery Banks and High-Tech Hub for custom hiring services are supported with financial assistance @40% of the project cost under RKVY and SMAM.

6) Agricultural mechanisation is one of the important factors for sustainable development of the agricultural sector which helps in:

• increasing production through agricultural works, 
• reducing the deficit, 
• reducing the cost of various agricultural works through the better management of costly inputs, 
• increasing the productivity of natural resources 
• help reduce the difficulties related to various agricultural activities. 

7) The degree of farm mechanisation is expressed as a ratio of mechanical power to cultivable unit area.

8) The demand for food grain is increasing and it has been estimated that by 2025 we have to produce more than 300 million tonnes.

According to the 2011 census, 263 million people (54.6%) are engaged in the agriculture sector, which is likely to declined to 190 million (33%) by 2020. [workforce in agriculture decreasing]

During important seasons such as sowing and harvesting there will be a decrease in the work force and it will have an adverse effect on production. Thus, the additional demand of energy for various agricultural works need to be completed through the medium and for this, the agricultural mechanisation sector needs to grow rapidly.

9) Challenges in the field of agricultural mechanisation:

• Due to continuous shrinkage in the average size of the agricultural lands, more lands will fall in the adverse category, which will make individual ownership of agricultural machinery gradually and more informal. Therefore, ensuring availability of sufficient farm power for small farms will be a big challenge. 

• How to overcome skill barriers to provide adequate support to modern technology. 

• In future, it is necessary to establish a link between the possibility of sustainable development of agricultural mechanisation without neglecting the lack of energy and environmental degradation due to low availability of fossil fuels and its high cost.