| Author | Khan, Mohammad Azam |
| Call Number | AIT Diss. no.AE-94-04 |
| Subject(s) | Agriculture and energy--Pakistan
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| Note | A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Doctor of Engineering,School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Dissertation ; no. AE-94-04 |
| Abstract | The major objective of this study was to investigate the patterns of energy consumption and their relationship with crop production on farms with different levels of mechanization in Dera Ismail Khan (D.I. Khan) District of North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. A Year-long survey of daily inputs of energy for crop production operation on more than 600 crop plots of 26 grams in seven villages of D.I. Khan District was carried out. Sample frame were selected based on the main power source bullock or tractor and were sub-categorized according to the type of irrigation as canal irrigated, tubewell irrigated and rainfed. Average size of both bullock and tractor operated rainfed farms was 8.2 ha and that of bullock operated irrigated farms was 3.69 ha and tractor operated irrigated farms was 5.7 ha. Data were recorded through biweekly visits to the selected farms to investigate the patterns of energy consumption in crop production from different sources namely, human labor, bullocks, electric motors, diesel engines and tractors. Application of fertilizers and chemicals and yields were also recorded. Due to lack of an assured supply of water the cropping intensities based on sown area on bullock and tractor operated rainfed frams were only 129% and 140% respectively, because of which the consumption of energy on bullock and tractor operated rainfed farms was 92.2 kWh and 137.1 KWh per hectare during the survey year. Bullock and tractor operated farms with canal irrigation had cropping intensities of 153% and 169% respectively and used 134.6% kWh and 245.2 kWh per hectare during the survey year. Per hectare consumption of total energy use was the highest on bullock and tractor operated farms with tubewell irrigation i.e. 1184.8 kWh and 1352.8 kWh during the survey year respectively, of the consumption of electrical or diesel energy for pumping was 1032.4 kWh and 1031.4 kWh. There were two peak periods of energy inputs on all farms. The first peak period was during April and May for harvesting and threshing of the wheat crop. A severe shortage of labor occurred during this period on both tractor and bullock operated farms. The second peak period occurred during the months of October and November for harvesting of Kharif crops and land preparation and sowing of winter (Rabi) crops. As the farm operations performed with tractors took less time than bullock, the duration of the second peak on tractor operated farms was shorter than bullock operated farms. Land preparation and sowing operation were performed. with tractors on all tractor operated farms except on rainfed frrms where sowing was performed with the seed tube attached to bullock drawn plow, thus the use of bullock energy was higher on tractor operated rainfed farms than tractor operated irrigated farms. Harvesting of wheat was performed mostly with permanent labor and with the help of neighboring farmers on a reciprocal basis on bullock operated farms with canal irrigation. These framers also received help from neighbors for transplanting of rice during June and July. Use of casual labor on tractor operated canal irrigated farmland on bullock and tractor operated tube well irrigated farms was higher compared to bullock operated canal irrigated and rainfed farms due to harvesting of sugarcane that was performed by the casual labor. The yields of wheat were 1.17 t/ha on rainfed, 2.52 t/ha on canal irrigated and 2.05 t/ha on tubewell irrigated tractor operated farms, whereas, these were 0.66 t/ha on rainfed, 1.56 t/ha on canal irrigated and 1.74 t/ha on tubewell irrigated farms operated with bullock. The yields were higher due to timely land preparation and deeper plowing with tractor operated plow resulting in higher moisture retention and higher use of fertilizers on tractor operated irrigated farms compared to bullock operated irrigated farms. Rainfed farms obtained the lowest yields, as their crops were rain dependent and the farmers did not use chemical fertilizers. Moreover, floods also damaged the wheat crop on 3.8 ha on bullock operated and 2.9 ha on tractor operated rainfed farms. The yields of sugarcane (ratoon) were higher i.e., 44 t/ha and 51.8 t/ha due to higher use of fertilizer on tractor operated frame with canal and tubewell irrigation, respectively, compared to 38.3 t/ha on bullock operated farms with tubewell irrigation. Yields of sugarcane (planted) were 52 t/ha and 44.3 t/ha on bullock operated canal irrigated and tractor operated tube well irrigated farms respectively, whereas, on bullock operated tube well irrigated farms the yield of sugarcane (planted) was 38.2 t/ha. It was found that for each crop, the total energy output was greater than the total energy inputs. Energy inputs and yields on irrigated farms were higher than the rained farms, however, the increases in yields were not in proportion to the increases in energy inputs. The energy output-input ratios for tractor operated irrigated farms were higher than bullock operated irrigated farms. The yields and consequently crop values and gross margins were higher on tractor operated farms than bullock operated farms. Cost of production was lowest in rainfed farms and also the gross margins remained the lowest because the crop values were also the lowest. The gross margins on farms with canal irrigation were higher than the farms with tubewell irrigation. This was because the farms with canal irrigation paid only a small amount for water charges whereas the farms with tubewell irrigation spent higher amount of money to operate pumps or to purchase irrigation water from pumps. In the case of wheat, per hour return to family labor after paying land rent on all farms except bullock operated rainfed farms was higher (Rs. 5 to Rs. 78) than the assumed opportunity cost of family labor hour (Rs. 5 and Rs. 6.25). The return to family labor on bullock operated rainfed farms was Rs. 4 per hour after paying land rent, as the crop on many of the plots was damaged by the floods and hence the yield and consequently gross margin remained low. Three projections were made to determine the patterns of energy demand from various sources and mechanization progresses. First projection was based on the upgrading of bullock operated farms to tractor operated farms. Since flood was one of the major problems of the area, the second projection was made based on controlling floods and storing the water for assured irrigation to the rainfed cultivated areas of the district, In the third projection all the cultivated area of the farms was brought under controlled irrigation system with tractors as main source of power. The findings indicated that as steps are taken toward increased level of mechanization with flood control and assured irrigation, there is an increase in total energy inputs, an increase in production and a reduction in cost of production, The production increases are the results of increased yields and increased cropping intensity. Results of projections also indicated that the movement of bullock operated farms to tractor operated farms should lead to increased demand of human labor over the 1992-93 level. This increased demand of human labor during peak period of sowing and harvesting operations will increase the requirement for mechanical equipment. |
| Year | 1994 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Dissertation ; no. AE-94-04 |
| Type | Dissertation |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Agricultural and Food Engineering (AE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Singh, Gajendra.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Gupta, C.P.;Salokhe V.M.;Shrestha, R.M.; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | United States Agency for International Development; |
| Degree | Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1994 |