A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2003

This study is based on a survey of 122 farmers from ten Village Development Committees in Nawalparasi District, Nepal. Fa1ms were categorized: based on the sources of machinery use (tractor-own, tractor-hired, and bullock) and the state of irrigation (canal irrigated, tube-well irrigated and rainfed). Average age of the bullock farmer was higher than that of tractor-owned farmers. Age of the fa1mer could be the one of the influential factor for adopting technology. Similarly education level of the farmer in the tractor-own irrigated fa1ms was higher than the other farm categories. This relationship shows a positive correlation between the education level and the adoption of mechanization. The main cropping system in Nawalparasi district was paddy in rainy season followed by wheat, oilseeds, lentil in winter. The main sources of farm power in this district are human labor, bullock, tractors and power threshers. The average land holding size of tractor-own, tractor-hired and bullock farms were 4.2, 1.0, and 1.9 ha respectively. Average land holding size in the area was 2.9 ha. This shows that the land holding size is associated with the level of mechanization. The yield of paddy in tractor-own, tractor-hired and bullock farms were 3.9, 3.7, and 4.2 tons/ha respectively and likewise for wheat, 3, 2.9, and 2.7 tons/ha. Average yield of oilseeds was 1.08, 0.94, 1.07 tons/ha in tractor-own, tractor-hired and bullock farms respectively. Yield of lentil was found to be 1.02, 0.98 and 1.04 ton/ha in tractor-own, tractor-hired and bullock fa1ms respectively. The cropping intensity of farms with irrigation and tractor-own, tractor-hired and bullock were 199%, 180%, and 197% respectively. In rainfed condition, cropping intensity of tractor-hired farm was 120% and others remained closer to 190%. The power availability by different sources was found to be 0.07, 0.1, 2.91 and 1.01 hp/ha by human, bullock, tractor and power thresher respectively. Net family income was found highest in tractor-own tube well inigated fa1ms, followed by tractor-own canal irrigated farms. l1Tigated area seemed to have higher yields and cropping intensities due to the use of higher quantities of fa1m inputs. Due to the social system in Nepal, land holding size has been decreasing and the number of parcels of the land is increasing. Land size and the parcel could be one of the influential factors for mechanization, which is still in rudimentary stage in Nepal. In Nepal, irrigated area seemed expanding and shows more use of improved varieties, other agricultural inputs and scope for the implementation of mechanization in this area.