Please join us for a BAE Special Seminar 

Thursday, August 7, 2014 
4:00 pm, 2045 BAINER HALL 

Topic: "Development of Agricultural Mechanization in India" 

Presenter 
Dr. Gajendra Singh 
Former Vice Chancellor, Doon University 
Dehradun, India 

Abstract 
The presentation outlines the history of agricultural mechanization development in India. Since independence in 1947, the country has changed from a machinery importer to the worlds leading tractor manufacturing nation. And this has been achieved in parallel with a three-fold increase in population. Mechanization patterns in different regions are described as is the idea that private sector operators and entrepreneurs are a driving force in the mechanization revolution. The number of machines sold under various subsidy schemes is only a very small fraction of total number of machines purchased by farmers. Power input in agriculture is forecast to rise from about 2 kW/ha now to 4.5 kW/ha by 2050 when there will be 7 million tractors in use in the country (compared with fewer than 8 thousand at independence). The agricultural engineering manufacturing industry is growing and maturing although traditional draught animal technology is expected to decline as draught animal numbers continue to fall. The importance of emphasizing and expanding agricultural engineering training and R&D is underlined. 

Coffee and cookies will be served.