Attitude of Cotton Growers toward Farm Mechanization
L. Manisha *
Agricultural Extension Education Department, PDKV, Akola, Maharashtra, India.
S. P. Lambe
Agricultural Extension Education Department, PDKV, Akola, Maharashtra, India.
P. Neha
Agricultural Extension Education Department, PDKV, Akola, Maharashtra, India.
J. Asha
Agricultural Extension Education Department, PDKV, Akola, Maharashtra, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Mechanisation in cotton cultivation in India has increased steadily due to labour shortages, rising labour costs, and the growing need to enhance farm productivity and profitability. Most field operations, including land preparation, sowing, fertiliser application, intercultural operations, and plant protection, are now performed using tractors, seed drills, power weeders, and sprayers. However, cotton harvesting continues to be predominantly manual because the uneven opening of bolls and the plant characteristics of most Indian cotton varieties limit the use of mechanical harvesters.
Recognising the importance of mechanisation, the Government of India has implemented several initiatives to promote the adoption of farm machinery. Through the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), financial assistance is provided for the purchase of agricultural machinery, establishment of Custom Hiring Centres, and promotion of modern farm equipment, particularly among small and marginal farmers. Considerable public investment has been made to accelerate the pace of farm mechanisation by supplying farm implements and machinery at subsidised rates. Since these interventions involve substantial government expenditure, it is essential to assess farmers' attitudes towards mechanisation to evaluate the effectiveness of these investments.
With this objective, the present investigation was undertaken to assess the attitude of cotton growers towards farm mechanisation. The study was conducted in 40 villages across 10 talukas of five districts in the Western Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Farmers were categorised into two groups: users, comprising those who had been using improved farm implements and machinery in cotton cultivation for the previous three years, either through government schemes or on a custom-hiring basis; and non-users, comprising farmers who continued to perform farm operations using traditional methods and had not benefited from any farm mechanisation scheme.
Data were collected through personal interviews using a pre-tested structured interview schedule. Farmers' attitudes towards mechanisation were measured using a scale comprising 24 carefully selected statements.
Overall, the findings indicated that 32.25 per cent of respondents had a moderately favourable attitude, followed by 28.50 per cent with a highly favourable attitude, 26.25 per cent with a less favourable attitude, and 13.00 per cent with a not favourable attitude. The more favourable attitudes among users may be attributed to their experience with mechanisation and its benefits in saving labour, ensuring timely operations, and reducing drudgery, whereas non-users had limited exposure to improved machinery. These results suggest that, although awareness and acceptance of mechanisation are increasing, considerable scope remains for improving farmers' perceptions and adoption of mechanised technologies. Therefore, systematic efforts are required to popularise farm mechanisation through field demonstrations, training programmes, and extension activities organised by the Department of Agriculture. Furthermore, there is a need to develop and promote customised farm machinery and implements suitable for the diverse agro-climatic conditions and production systems of cotton cultivation in India.
Keywords: Cotton growers, farm mechanisation, farmer attitude, agricultural machinery, mechanised farming, technology adoption