Status of farm mechanization in Nagaland: A review

Abstract

In Nagaland, 90% of the state’s land is mountainous, and 70% of the population is engaged in agriculture. In 2022-23, 28.42% of the total reported area was used for crop cultivation, and 52% of the total land area was covered by forest. The majority of the landholding in Nagaland belongs to medium (4-10 ha), i.e., 37.7%, and the average landholding is more than 10 ha. Schemes like SMAM and RKVY were initiated in the state to promote farm mechanization in areas with limited farm power in agricultural fields and to meet the needs of small and marginal farmers. The level of farm mechanization remains poor at present, but there is great potential for growth with the help of the government and funding agencies by providing subsidies to the farmers. Also, the hilly topography of the region makes it impossible to operate heavy machines. Therefore, to mitigate the problem, prior importance has to be given to strengthening the research and development to develop small, lightweight, and portable implements and machinery. Providing frequent training and establishing more CHCs would contribute immensely to improving the level of farm mechanization in the state.