Development, Testing and popularization of need-based farm implements and machinery is site specific and requires the knowledge of prevailing cropping practices and socio-economic status of the farmers. To achieve this specific requirement, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, new Delhi initiated the All India Coordinated Research Project on Farm Implements and Machinery during 1975 with six centers. MPKV, Rahuri is one amongst them. The centre was previously known as Regional Training and Testing Centre of Department of Agriculture, Maharashtra State and was operational at Pune since 1962. With the formation of four SAU’s in Maharashtra, the centre is under MPKV, Rahuri. The centre was shifted from Pune to Rahuri during July, 2003 for administrative convenience and strengthening of the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering.

Major Thrust Areas

• Mechanization of Horticultural crops
• Mechanization of sugarcane crop
• Mechanization of Dry Land Farming

Objectives of the Project

• To identify the present mechanization gaps and future needs for improved farm equipments on the basis of objective analysis of prevailing agro-socio-economic factors, for different crops, cropping patterns and agro-climatic regions.
• To design, develop, adopt farm tools, implements and machines for rain fed and irrigated farming suitable for animate, mechanical power sources with a view to increase crop production and productivity.
• To improve the versatility of power tillers by development/adoption of improved implements.
• To test farm equipments in the laboratory and field for development of new machines and to conduct intensive and extensive trials on the farmers field for evaluation and refinements for finalization of design of new as well as existing farm implements and machinery.
• To establish linkages with manufacturers by involving them in developmental process of farm machines and their production technology for manufacturing of improved farm implements.
• To manufacture implements in PMW for their multi-location feasibility trials and promotional programmes.
• To conduct feasibility testing on farmers field of prototypes of proven designs of farm implements and machinery, selected from different regions for adoption under local conditions with a view to bridge the identified mechanization gaps.
• To educate farmers on the significance of use and maintenance of improved farm equipments through various media including trainings and demonstrations.

Mandate of the Project

To identify the mechanization gaps and future needs of improved farm implements and machinery for cropping pattern in different agro-climatic zones under the jurisdiction of MPKV,Rahuri comprising of Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Solapur, Pune, Ahmednagar, Nashik, Jalgaon, Dhule and Nandurbar districts and to conduct research and development of need based and crop specific improved farm implements and machinery, Prototype Manufacturing Works, Prototype Feasibility Testing, Front Line Demonstrations and promotion of manufacturing through industrial extension and introduction and popularization of improved agricultural implements and machinery through ToT activities.