AN ASSESSMENT OF FARM MECHANIZATION STATUS OF RICE CULTIVATION IN RATUWAMAI MUNICIPALITY MORANG, DISTRICT, NEPAL

The study was conducted from February to May, 2019 to assess the status of farm mechanization of Rice cultivation in Ratuwamai municipality Morang, District Nepal. Altogether 80 respondents were selected by using simple random sampling technique from the sampling frame of 400 populations. Pre-tested interview schedule, Focus Group Discussion(FGD) and key informant survey (KIS) were used to collect primary information from the respondents ,while secondary information were collected by reviewing different relevant publications to find out the mechanization activities conducted in rice cultivation, perception of farmers regarding farm mechanization and the constraints and factors affecting adoption of agri- mechanical equipment .The data were processed and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics through MS-excel and SPSS .Chi-square test was done to test the significance difference between dependent and independent variables. The result of the study shows majority of the respondent were male, and majority were involved in agriculture as their major occupation. Majority of the respondents were found literate and very few respondents were involved in commercial farming. The study reveals about eighty percent of the respondents were adopter of machineries. During nursery preparation and transplantation no any machineries were employed, during land preparation 86.25 percent respondents have adopted machineries. The harvesting stage was found more mechanized than other stage as 68.75 percent respondents use machines. The use of thresher and combine harvester was found more common during this stage. Chi-square test shows the association between adoption level of machineries with training, subsidies and education level has positive and significant relationship. Regarding perception sixty five percent respondents found mechanical method more beneficial and fifty five percent use unskilled manpower during rice cultivation. Only 22.5 percent respondents had their own machines and majority use machine based on pre-booking. Agriculture knowledge centre (AKS) was found as major source of information on mechanization. Among many constraints during adoption of machinery high land fragmentation was agreed by majority of the respondents. The study revealed that, among the production problems, unavailability of quality seeds and fertilizers in required quantity and time appeared as the most important production problem followed by lack of subsidy on irrigation, disease and pest infestation, lack of technical guidance and labour shortage was appeared as least problem.