MECHANIZATION IN FRUIT CULTIVATION: PRESENT STATUS, ISSUES, CONSTRAINTS AND FUTURE ASPECTS OF NEPAL

Abstract

Around the world, increasing population is heightening the food and feed demand. Fruit production is playing vital role in augmented food availability, improved nutrition, livelihood, employment opportunities and economy of Nepal. Given the low mechanization in horticultural crops especially for fruits cultivation in nation, the production is by far based on physical labour source (human power). However, the rising cost and decreasing availability of farm labour has heightened interest in mechanization. There is no doubt that farm mechanization has substantial role in boosting the scale of farm operations, lessening the production cost, tumbling drudgery, enlightening the timeliness of operations, augmenting crop productivity and contributing to improve food security and rural livelihoods. This paper has attempted to give a short glimpse of fruit mechanization status and development of Nepal. It has focused more on fruit production and mechanization status, issues and research gaps, available machinery and tools of different farm operations, challenges and constraints along with way forward for fruit development. Although the country has some positive moves in fruit mechanization area (especially in tillage), the level of fruit mechanization is very poor with respect to mechanical power (especially in hills), effective tools and implements, irrigation, pest, and orchard management, harvesting and post-harvest technology areas. The physical constraints of rugged terrain and steep topography, small and fragmented turfs, lack of skilled manpower, poor facilities of spare parts, repair and maintenance, low investing capacity of the farmers, lack of awareness among farmers and non-availability of farm implements and machine based on gender and agroecology are some of the main bottleneck for low level of mechanization in the country. Despite various constraints, there is an enormous opportunity to integrate appropriate machines into most cultivation tasks in a way that optimizes productivity of land and farmer’s life and economy. Making the best use of these machines requires a holistic approach that considers the ecological belt, topographical characteristics, fruit cultivar and equipment available. Therefore, a widespread participatory research method is required to test, validate and disseminate the fruit machinery and tools performance compared with traditional farming method. In fact, operation wise mechanization of orchard crops including nursery house, transplanting of saplings, pit making, spraying and weeding in tall crops and harvesting of fruits and post-harvest operations are prime intervention areas of current situation. Furthermore, immediate attention of the government and other bodies is required to strengthen and rejuvenate unproductive old orchards farm with proper tools and mechanism. Overall, this study highlights the need to prioritize and strengthen fruit mechanization research based on agro ecology and farmers need, improve credit access and spare parts, invest in technical human resources and agricultural machinery workshop, targeted subsidy for poor, women and youth friendly enterprises or real farmers following proper monitoring, incentivize local fabrication and, effective extension and custom hiring services to address the mechanization gaps and harness the potentiality of fruit development.