For Clean, Smart and Profitable Farming.
Agriculture Machinery
Agriculture Machinery: A Manual Tiller to Help Farmers.
P. Karthik and T. Kiran are two students of Prakasam Engineering College, Kandukur, who have come up with a rotary tiller to help farmers. They said that, the manual tiller, which can be operated without fuel, is also easy to carry.
Principal of the college, who guided the duo in designing the equipment, Prof. M. Lakshman Rao said “Rotary tiller is a multi-purpose tool, which can also be used as weed remover. It is best suited for Indian farmers who face severe manpower crunch.”
Karthik said “Removing weed and tilling soil before sowing are expensive. Moreover, farmers are facing drought and shortage of labourers. But, tilling the soil several times gives a bumper yield.”
Kiran said “Big farmers who own more than five acres engage machinery for tilling, removing weed, sowing and other works. But, paddy farmers who own small plots are dependent on animals, as they cannot afford machines. The rotary tiller is highly useful for such farmers.”
The equipment was designed according to mechanical advantage formula i.e; ‘MFR’: M=Moment, F=Force and R=Radius. Using the machine, farmers can get more work done with less efforts, said students while explaining the operation of the tiller.
The students informed that, the tiller is made of iron rods of 50 cm radius bent in a circular shape, while cutting tools are attached on its circumference at 45 to 50 degree angle.
The principal said “The MFR formula played a major role in the making of the tiller. When the radius is increased, the movement of the tool also increases. The same formula is adopted for tractors to get higher mileage. The rotation of the ploughing tool increases and soil is tilled to a greater depth.”
Prof. Rao said “Rotary tiller or the manual tiller can be used for cultivation of paddy, chilli, tobacco and horticulture crops. It can be operated by women too. The tool has already been marketed to some farmers, and it is showing good results.”
Farmers were spending nearly Rs. 4,000 per acre on tilling and for removing weed for one crop, and the tool will be of immense help to them, said V. Surya Rao who is a paddy farmer from Gudivada.