On-farm energyThe term ‘mechanization’ is often misconstrued to mean modern mechanization based on fossil-fuel-driven agricultural equipment and machinery. However, mechanization in the wider context refers to the use of all farm equipment, ranging from traditional hand-held tools, to animal traction, to modern machinery powered by fossil fuel. Most farmers in developing countries spend more per year on farm power inputs than on fertilizer, seeds or agrochemicals. Sustainable agricultural mechanization strategies A farmer uses a tractor in the United Republic of Tanzania (FAO/Brian Sims)FAO is striving to assist member countries in finding mechanization solutions that can offer farmers the right choice of technology at the right price to increase agricultural productivity sustainably, reduce post-harvest losses and to safeguard food security. FAO’s Agricultural Machinery and Infrastructure Unit in the Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division assists farms and agribusinesses in designing appropriate agricultural mechanization operations to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, competitiveness, and profitability of agricultural and food enterprises.
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FAO encourages and supports member countries in designing sustainable agricultural mechanization strategies that are aligned with the country’s particular situation, based on farmers’ needs and consider the institutional arrangements and the availability of services to meet these needs. Such considerations are fundamental for identifying the most appropriate machinery and power source for a given situation. The choice will depend on the work to be done and the relative desirability, affordability, availability and technical efficiency of the options.
Lack of knowledge and skills in the efficient use, proper maintenance and repair of machinery is another area that affects energy efficiency and fuel consumption. Choosing the right size of equipment based on the desired type of operation and land size is also important. For example, using a large tractor for light loads is inefficient because extra horsepower is used to move the larger tractor. On the other hand, using a smaller tractor to perform operations that require more horsepower can overload the tractor. FAO provides guidance on agricultural technologies and appropriate mechanization pathways that can lead to improved energy efficiency in crop production. FAO also supports capacity building to improve efficiency and reduce maintenance costs by integrating agricultural mechanization into the overall concept of a sustainable intensification of crop production. Adequate mechanization for conservation agricultureA key focal area in FAO's Sustainable Crop Production Intensification (SCPI) Programme, particularly in relation to conservation agriculture, is the identification of appropriate mechanization that can improve energy efficiency in crop production. Adopting conservation agriculture represents a fundamental change in soil systems management and the design and management of the cropping system. These changes in turn lead to adjustments in the required field operations and the related mechanization. Read more Designing new and appropriate farm implements for conservation agriculture practices is critical for the success and scaling up of conservation agriculture. Realizing conservation agriculture’s full potential will require the development of a new set of mechanical technologies and changes in farm power requirements. For example, under a conservation agriculture system, small farmers using single axle tractors, who would normally have to hire a four-wheel tractor to till their fields, can continue to farm without making any changes. This can decrease overall power requirements by 50 percent. | 
