Gone are the days when farmers used their own fuel for agricultural purposes like putting in their own physical strength for the productivity of crops. With the changing times, farmers shifted to the power of livestock so that they could work on the agricultural fields. This change did improve the situation of the farmers but the introduction of technology was the perfect alternative for the hard work and physical effort that farmers used to put in. Technology and mechanization brought in a revolutionary change in the field of agriculture and improved productivity in a massive proportion. Understanding the importance or the benefits of agricultural machinery, let us take a look at the advantages those are awaiting you provided you use farm machinery.
- Plowing – There was a time when horses and oxen did the task of plowing the field to prepare it for the purpose of agriculture. However, the plows were not highly functional and could not successfully remove stones and weeds from the field. The first transition witnessed was the wooden plows made room for iron blades and other removable parts that were comparatively effective in its function of plowing the field. The next modification showed frames that had multiple blades that were effective in preparing the soil. Following this was the steam tractor that started to change the dynamics of agriculture to a large extent.
- Planting – The initial years of agriculture saw farmers planting seeds manually. Not only did this eat up a lot of time but the productivity was also less. They took the help of a stick to create an opening where they could drop the seed. Due to this, the consistency of correct spacing and depth was not possible. Gradually, the sowing machines came into the picture and it was a two wheel muscle driven planter that drills a hole, drops the seeds and refills the hole in one pass. The gasoline powered tractor brought a new set of refinement on the planters. Planters however have been subject to a lot of change and with each passing year the consistency in the planters have increased productivity and improved the agricultural sector. The germination as well as the harvesting yields has also increased considerably.
- Cultivation – The process of soil tilling without affecting the crops planted was mainly crafted for the hoe. Farmers in the initial years of practicing agriculture took help from horses in order to drag the wooden frames that have sharp prongs across the fields. The design of the frames showed prongs straddling the crop even when breaking the soil on both sides. This process was a big hit and extremely successful because it saved a lot on time and labour force. Very soon, gas powered tractors paved way allowing farmers to switch towards more sophisticated versions of farming. Then came the movable water sprinklers that helped in increasing the productivity of the crops. Irrespective of the weather conditions and the lack of rain, there was scope for the crops to get the required water.
- Harvest – Harvesting has helped in improving the functionality of farming and agriculture. It is through harvesting that farmers get the scope to clear large farming tracts, break the soil, remove the grass along with the preparation for ground cultivation. Through the help of the modernised harvesting machines, the dependence on labour force has also reduced along with the increase in efficiency and farming. Machine driven harvesting reaps better results than manual harvesting. Sophisticated harvesting machines are the need of the hour to meet the rising demands of city dwellers.
These are some of the popular benefits that farmers experience because of the advanced farming machinery that are in demand today to meet the expectations of people.