Phl eyes Thai model in farm mechanization

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) is looking at the agricultural mechanization experience of Thailand as its model to propel farm mechanization in the country.

In a report to Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, PhilMech executive director Ricardo Cachuela said Thailand’s mechanization experience can be applied to the Philippines.

“Thailand went through a lot of trial and errors when it came to farm mechanization. But today, Thailand ranks among the top 10 countries in Asia in terms of mechanization, boasting of five horsepower per hectare,” he said.

Agricultural production in Thailand increased substantially when mechanization was adopted by small farmers. According to a paper written by Thai senior agriculturist Viboon Thepent and agricultural engineer Anucit Chamsing, ”by 2005, total energy input (for farming from mechanization) increased by about 22 times compared to 1950 while crop production increased just about six times from seven million tons in 1950 to 55.3 million tons grain equivalent in 2005.”

The paper further said that “mechanization played a significant role in increasing agricultural production by completing farm operations on time, reducing cost of production [and] drudgery and increasing crop intensity.”

It said just like their Filipino counterparts, Thai farmers used to employ simple tools and animal-drawn implements. But from 1985 to 1987, domestic firms around Bangkok started to fabricate a rice combined harvester which was widely adopted by farmers starting in the early 1990s.

While the private sector in Thailand played a major role in farm mechanization, the government took the lead in making sure that locally-fabricated farm equipment complied with quality and design standards.

In 1968, the Thai Industrial Standard Institute was established to set the standards for farm machinery fabricated in Thailand. In 1979, the National Agricultural Machinery Center was established to take the lead in setting standards for farm machinery.

Cachuela said Thailand’s mechanization model clearly shows that the country must learn to produce its own farm machinery suited for small landholdings.

He pointed out that a government agency like PhilMech should take the lead in setting standards and providing the impetus for the local development of farm machinery.

“If importing farm equipment in large quantities is the answer to helping Philippine agriculture, then the farm mechanization level of the country should already be around 10 horsepower per hectare. But at present, the country’s farm mechanization level is only 0.5 horsepower per hectare,” he said.

Cachuela further said that Thailand’s mechanization experience clearly demonstrates that government must set the standards for locally-fabricated equipment.

 “What PhilMech wants to do is to harness Filipino ingenuity for farm mechanization as the country is never short on local talent for that,” he said.