Testing and evaluation of agricultural machinery

Throughout the Third World millions of impoverished farmers work at near subsistence level and do not have access to the technical improvements which would allow them to improve land and labour productivity and raise their net farm incomes. Much design and development effort has been expended on 'improved' mechanization for the small farmer, but adophon rates have often been disappointing. A farm mechanization innovation will only be accepted by farmers if it provides a solution that the farmer is actively seeking to a problem keenly felt by himself and his family. The factors to be taken into account therefore, have to be not only technical, but social and economic as well. This manual, whilst recognizing this complex of factors, aims to focus on procedures which have been developed for testing and evaluating farm machinery, and on the criteria for testing small farmer-oriented technology. It provides principles, practices and procedures for testing machines and also determines aspects of a machine's performance that can be evaluated. It is directed towards those involved in the evaluation of machinery, and primarily towards users on small farms. Evaluation of farm equipment may be appropriate at any stage in its development, from first prototype to batch and series production. Whilst most of the book is of interest to agricultural engineers, the sections on calibration of fertilizer spreaders and chemical sprayers is of practical interest to all agronomists. Testing and evaluation of agricultural machinery and equipment: principles and practices by D W Smith, B G Sims and D H O'Neill 1994 272pp FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin 110 ISBN 92 5 103458 3 FAO Publications Dept, FAO, Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome, ITALYTesting and evaluation of agricultural machinery and equipment: principles and practices by D W Smith, B G Sims and D H O'Neill 1994 272pp FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin 110 ISBN 92 5 103458 3 FAO Publications Dept, FAO, Via delle Terme di Ca