{"id":78799,"date":"2026-07-09T18:29:59","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T12:59:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=78799"},"modified":"2026-07-09T18:32:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T13:02:14","slug":"sub-mission-agricultural-mechanization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/09-07-2026\/sub-mission-agricultural-mechanization","title":{"rendered":"Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Economy, Agriculture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)<\/strong> expands access for small farmers, women, and disadvantaged groups through <strong>targeted mechanization support nationwide.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)<\/strong> was launched in <strong>2014\u201315.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is a <strong>Centrally Sponsored Scheme<\/strong> under the <strong>Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SMAM aims to <strong>\u201creach the unreached\u201d<\/strong> by extending the benefits of mechanization to underserved sections.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It includes small and marginal farmers, including women, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Farmer-Producer Organizations (FPOs), Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and rural entrepreneurs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The scheme promotes the establishment of <strong>Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs).<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These are units comprising a <strong>set of farm machinery, implements, and equipment meant for hiring by farmers.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"c7e2e5\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"351\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-82.png\" alt=\"sub-mission on agricultural mechanization\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-78800\" style=\"--dominant-color: #c7e2e5; width:510px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-82.png 576w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-82-300x183.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Status of Agriculture Mechanization in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>As per the estimates of 2020-21 of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), <\/strong>agricultural mechanization level varies across different crops and their farm operation in the country.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mechanization Levels:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Seedbed Preparation: <\/strong>Highly mechanized (70%+) for major crops.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Harvesting and Threshing: <\/strong>Least mechanized (&lt;32%) for most crops, except rice and wheat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sowing:<\/strong> Highest mechanization in wheat (65%).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Planting\/Transplanting:<\/strong> Mechanization levels are 20% (sugarcane) and 30% (rice).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Harvesting\/Threshing in Rice &amp; Wheat:<\/strong> >60% mechanized; very low in cotton.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Across States :<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>States like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh<\/strong> which have widespread use of machines, lack adoption of weeding machines.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Irrigation technologies<\/strong> adoption is higher in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu but not in other states.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Assam and Odisha<\/strong> are still relying on manual operations for majority of the activities.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>In the United States, Western Europe, Soviet Union, Brazil, Argentina, China, India, Africa<\/strong> the level of farm mechanisation is at 95%, 95%, 80%, 75%, 75%, 38%, 40% and 20% respectively.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Need for Mechanization in Indian Agriculture&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Labour Shortage:<\/strong> In 2017, the number of people employed in agriculture were 145.66 million which dropped down to 143.4 million during the pandemic.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The rural to urban migration trend has been observed in all parts of the country which led to situations like labour shortage in agriculture.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rise in Labour Wages: <\/strong>With growing demand of labour in the non-agricultural sector due to urbanization and increasing infrastructural capabilities, labour wages have been rising.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mechanization of farms<\/strong> is essential to meet the <strong>growing food demand.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improvement in Efficiency:<\/strong> There is a need for technologies to improve labour efficiency and reduce drudgery for labour intensive methods of production.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gap in India: <\/strong>The level of agriculture mechanization in India stands at 40% which is less when compared to China (59.5%), Brazil (75%) and U.S (95%).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The gap has to be filled with mechanization of agriculture to ensure sustained productivity of the sector.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>High Initial Investment: <\/strong>The cost of purchasing modern farm machinery is high, which makes it difficult for small and marginal farmers to afford them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of Access to Financing: <\/strong>While government schemes provide financial assistance, many farmers still face challenges in accessing loans or subsidies for purchasing machinery, especially in rural areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Geographical and Climatic Constraints: <\/strong>India\u2019s diverse geography and climate conditions require different types of machinery, which might not always be available or suitable for all regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Labor-Intensive Farming Practices:<\/strong> Many farmers are still accustomed to traditional methods and may resist shifting to mechanized farming, due to cultural reasons or fear of technology.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Inconsistent Power Supply: <\/strong>Rural areas often face irregular electricity supply, which hinders the use of electric-powered machinery.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Seasonal Demand: <\/strong>Demand for certain machinery is seasonal, which makes it harder for machinery owners to maintain consistent utilization throughout the year, leading to low returns on investment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Government Initiatives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs): <\/strong>The government encourages the establishment of Custom Hiring Centers where farmers can access expensive agricultural machinery on a rental basis, thereby reducing the cost burden on individual farmers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institutes (FMTTIs):<\/strong> FMTTIs provide training to farmers and technicians in the operation and maintenance of agricultural machinery.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They also conduct testing and certification of agricultural machinery to ensure quality and performance standards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY): <\/strong>PMKSY includes provisions for promoting mechanized irrigation systems such as sprinkler and drip irrigation, which contribute to water conservation and efficient water use in agriculture.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY):<\/strong> RKVY supports the adoption of modern agricultural practices including farm mechanization through financial assistance to states for promoting agricultural growth and development.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Promotion of Innovation and Research: <\/strong>The government encourages research and development in agricultural mechanization through institutions like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and supports innovation and indigenous development of agricultural machinery.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=159150&amp;ModuleId=3&amp;reg=48&amp;lang=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> Context <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) expands access for small farmers, women, and disadvantaged groups through targeted mechanization support nationwide. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> About <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) was launched in 2014\u201315.\u00a0 <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).\u00a0 <\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/09-07-2026\/sub-mission-agricultural-mechanization \" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78799","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78799","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78799"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78799\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78804,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78799\/revisions\/78804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78799"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78799"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}