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Front Line Demonstration on Improved Farm Tools and Machinery suitable for hill agriculture on 18th February 2019 in collaboration with Meghalaya Basin Management Agency.

A one day Front Line Demonstration on “Improved Farm Tools and Machinery suitable for hill agriculture” on 18th February 2019, was organized in collaboration with Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) in the presence of Shri. Fabian Mallang, Senior Manager/Regional Coordinator, Meghalaya Basin Management Agency, Shillong, Meghalaya and Shri. Dominic Lyngdoh, Consultant, Meghalaya Basin Management Agency, Shillong, Meghalaya at the Division of Agricultural Engineering, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam (Barapani), Meghalaya, for the farmers belonging to Umling Block, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya and Mawphlang Block, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya. On this day, improved farm tools and machinery for hill agriculture, field demonstration of implements and machinery, plastic lined water harvesting pond, and machinery for post-harvest processing were demonstrated and at the end of this session feedback was given by the farmers to our Division. The Front Line Demonstration was inaugurated by Er. Huidrom Dayananda Singh, Scientist (FMP), Division of Agricultural Engineering, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam (Barapani), Meghalaya and also the Principal Investigator of the project “AICRP on FIM” and he emphasized on the importance of using improved farm tools and machinery for hill agriculture and use of improved machinery for post-harvest processing. Shri. Fabian Mallang, Senior Manager/Regional Coordinator, Meghalaya Basin Management Agency, Shillong, Meghalaya, has brief shortly about the purpose of visit to the farmers at Division of Agricultural Engineering, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam (Barapani), Meghalaya.

About 27 farmers from different villages of Umling Block, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya and Mawphlang Block, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, were presented at this occasion. The main purposed of the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency was to expose these farmers of these two Districts of Meghalaya about improved farm tools and machinery that were available in the Division of Agricultural Engineering, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam (Barapani), Meghalaya. Almost all of the farmers presented here have seen these tools for the first time. All the improved farm tools and machinery for hill agriculture like the Zero till furrow opener, seed cum fertilizer drill, vertical conveyer reaper, adjustable row maker, grass/brush cutter, manual seed drill, winnower, weeder, motorized paddy thresher cum blower, pedal paddy thresher, maize sheller, power tiller, mini-tiller, dibbler, long handle weeders, horticultural tools, etc. and plastic lined water harvesting pond like the jalkund were demonstrated to the farmers by Er. Hillary Suna, T-4, and Shri Raspartwell Dhar, T-2, Division of Agricultural Engineering, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam (Barapani), Meghalaya. All the machinery for post-harvest processing that was available in the Division were also demonstrated to the farmers by Shri S. N. Talukdar (T-5), Er. Aftab Hussain (T-4) and Shri Worthful Mukhim (SRF, FIM), Division of Agricultural Engineering, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam (Barapani), Meghalaya

At the end of the session, a load of positive feedbacks were given by the farmers about these improved farm tools and machinery according to their cultivation and how these would help them while doing field operations if such tools and machinery were made available to them. Some of these feedbacks are:

One farmer from Solait Thymmai village, Umling Block, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya, were impressed with the winnower, pedal paddy thresher as these would help him in his farm but not with motorized one because no power is available in their area. And also the beehive briquette mould is one of his main interests as this would enhance his economy and the same time it limits pollution.

Another farmer from Rynli Nongkhlaw village, Mawphlang Block, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, were also impressed with the winnower, pedal paddy thresher, power tiller and beehive briquette mould.

A farmer from Umdap Rangi village, Umling Block, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya, they also have some machinery like vertical conveyer reaper but he find it difficult for his terrace as it was a heavy machinery and this makes him difficult to carry or place in his terrace. He express the requirement of motorized paddy thresher cum blower in their area to avoid traditional method due to less labour. He needs power tiller because there were no more cows or buffalo to use for land preparation of the field and they find it very difficult to hire or rented a power tiller as it was very costly about Rs 300 per hour and also want Division of Agricultural Engineering to develop an areca nut harvester to avoid nut damage.

A farmer from Mawphrew village, Umling Block, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya, were also impressed with the winnower, pedal paddy thresher and other equipment. His main interest is the beehive briquette mould as this would enhance his economy and also have practised this in their village, loaping shear for pruning citrus fruit, he also needs small reaper for harvesting paddy, fruit harvester to avoid fruit damage and for harvesting fruits that cannot be harvest traditionally, weeder for weeding operation and also a much smaller power tiller. He also has difficulty to spray fruit trees and need sprayer with a high power sprayer. Knapsack power operated Mist blower cum duster, foot sprayer and rocking sprayer were recommended by Er. Huidrom Dayananda Singh, Scientist (FMP), Division of Agricultural Engineering, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam (Barapani), Meghalaya and Shri. Dominic Lyndoh, Meghalaya Basin Management Agency, Shillong, Meghalaya.

A farmer from Sunny village, Mawphlang Block, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, need a smaller machine to carry to his terrace, also needs winnower, grass/ brusher cutter bad paddy thresher.

Women from both Mawphlang Block and Umling Block want to try this beehive briquette mould as it required less energy to make this beehive briquette and at the same time, it would enhance their financial support.

A farmer from Khulia village, Umling Block, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya, needs power tiller for ploughing due to less farm labor available in their area and he never used any machinery to operate in his field as rent of power tiller in their area is as high as Rs 300 per hour and that too from Assam. As his field is in lowland condition, he really wants to try these improved tools and machinery and also need paddy thresher and horticultural tools for a time being.

A farmer from Wah lyngkit village, Mawphlang Block, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, have a deep interest on beehive briquette mould since it does not consume much time to prepare one beehive briquette and this too support him financially, power tiller since most of the farmer cannot work anymore without machinery and also a fruit harvester to avoid damage of the ripe fruit.

A farmer from Mawphlang Block, keen interest on power tiller, seeder for soya bean, or mustard and also have a deep interest on beehive briquette mould since it does not consume much time to prepare one beehive briquette and this too supports him financially.

A farmer from Santipur village, Umling Block, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya, have shown great interest on almost all the improved farm tools and machinery and it is very difficult for him since he cannot afford them.

A farmer from Mawmaram village, Mawphlang Block, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, also have a deep interest on beehive briquette mould since it does not consume much time to prepare one beehive briquette and this too supports him financially.

A farmer from Mawlum Rum village, Mawphlang Block, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, have shown interest only on horticultural tools since his village are mostly stony so it’s difficult to used machinery as elaborate by him.

A farmer from Mukhadu village, Umling Block, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya, find it difficult to carry these Improved tools and machinery to his farm because he has to walk for 2-3 Kms and he also needs machinery for clearing of brooms.

Since only one or two people from each village were presented at this demonstration so they insist the division of agricultural engineering to visit their respective village for a demonstration like this will benefits for the whole village and also at the same time for the whole of the Block that falls in Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya and East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya. One of the most common constrain for acquiring these improve farm tools is financial problem. In this regard, Er. H.D. Singh, Shri. Fabian Mallang and Shri Dominic Lyngdoh urged the farmers to set up custom hiring center in their respective villages and also contact state agriculture department for the subsidy of the equipment. The program was concluded with the both of thanks by Shri. Fabian Mallang, Senior Manager/Regional Coordinator, Meghalaya Basin Management Agency, Shillong, Meghalaya.

A glimpse of Front Line Demonstration on Improved Farm Tools and Machinery on 18th February 2019