2022

AGRICULTURAL AND BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING

BOARD EXAM REVIEWER

AGRI MECHANIZATION
by

Engr. Alexis T. Belonio, MS

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineer
ASEAN Engineer

Volume 6 – Agricultural Machinery and Mechanization

 Introduction

¡ Agricultural Mechanization - is the development, manufacture,

and extension of appropriate agricultural tools, implements, and
machinery using animal, human, mechanical, electrical, and other
renewable sources of energy for agricultural production and
development as well as post harvest operations.
¡ Mechanized agriculture - is the process of using agricultural
machinery to mechanize the work of agriculture, greatly increasing
farm worker productivity. Effective mechanization contributes to
increased production in two major ways: firstly, the timeliness of
operation and secondly, the good quality of work.
¡ Agricultural mechanization or farm mechanization - means
the use of agricultural equipment or farm equipment before,
during and after agricultural or farming processes. The ones
used before the agricultural or farming processes are used in the
farming or agricultural preparation stage, such as soil cultivation.
¡ AFMech Law - Republic Act 10601 or the Agricultural and
Fisheries Mechanization. Approved in June 5, 2013, published
on June 14, 2013 and subsequently took effect on June 28, 2013.
¡ It mandates the formulation of a comprehensive national policy
on cost-effective and environmentally-safe agriculture and
fisheries to achieve food security and increase farmers' income.
 Related Laws

Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization Law – Republic Act

10601 (June 5, 2013) – Improving the Agriculture and Fisheries
Sector through Mechanization. It covers research, development, and
extension promotion distribution, supply, assembling, manufacturing,
regulation, use, operation and maintenance of project implementation
of agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment.

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Law – Republic Act

10915 (July 21, 2016) – An act strengthening, modernizing and
aligning the practice of agricultural engineering in the country into the
internationally recognized practice of agricultural and biosystems
engineering, and for other purposes.
Agricultural and Biosystems Power and
Machinery
Refers to far power and machinery for the production, harvesting,
processing, storage, manufacturing, preserving, transporting and
distribution of agricultural and biological products/materials and
includes, but not limited to, tractors and their attachments, power
tillers, seeders, transplanters, windmills, harvesting machines, crop
protection and maintenance equipment, irrigation equipment and
accessories, greenhouses and thermal conditioning equipment,
livestock, poultry, fishery and forest equipment, slaughter equipment,
meat/fishery and crop processing equipment, post harvest machines
such as milling machines, dryers, threshers, grain stripper and other
strippers, agricultural transport machinery and storage.

Agricultural and Biosystems Power, Energy, and Machinery Engineering

which include agricultural power and bio-energy, machine design
analysis, machinery management and mechanization, and
mechanization of agricultural and bioproduction systems.
 Terminologies

¡ Agricultural and Fishery Machinery – machinery and equipment

for the production, post production, and processing, manufacture,
transportation, and distribution of agricultural and fishery products.
¡ Agricultural and Fishery Mechanization - development,
adoption, assembly, manufacture, and application of appropriate,
location specific, and cost-effective agricultural and fishery
machinery.
¡ Agro-industrial Processing – local activities to maintain or raise
the quality of or change the form or characteristics of agricultural,
fishery, and forestry products.
STAGES OF MECHANIZATION

Stage I Human Power

Stage II Animal Power
Stage III Power tiller
Stage IV Tractor

Philippine Status (Suministrado, 2013)

Land Area - 30 million

Agricultural - 9.5 million
Rice - 4.8million
Corn - 2.6 million
Other Crops - Coconut, sugar cane, Banana, Pineapple,
Casssava, Rubber, Mango, and vegetable
 STATUS OF MECHANIZATION OF
VARIOUS CROPS
Operation Rice/Corn Sugarcane/ Coconut/Fruit Vegetables/
Pineapple s/Fiber Legumes/
Root crops
Land Preparation Intermediate Intermediate Low
to high to high
Planting/Transplant Low Low to Low Low
ing intermediate
Crop Care/ Low Low to high Low Low
Cultivation
Harvesting Low Low Low Low
Threshing/Shelling Intermediate Low
to High (legumes)
Cleaning Low
Drying Low Low Low
(legumes)
Milling/Village High Low Low
Level Processing
As of 2013
 Organizations Involved in Agricultural
Mechanization

• DA-BAFE, TESDA, CHED, DOST, BoAE, DPWH, DA-BAR, etc.

• Research Institutions (PhilMech, PhilRice, UPLB-AMTEC, etc.)
• SCU’s (UPLB, CLSU, MMSU, PSAU, TSU, CaVSU, VSU, etc.)
• Private Organizations (PSABE, AMMDA, MIAP, MAMIA, etc.)
• Manufacturers
 Mechanization Level

¡ Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and

Mechanization (PhilMech) reported that the mechanization
level of farms in the Philippines is 1.23 horsepower per hectare
(hp/ha).
¡ Rice and corn farms had the highest level of available farm power
at 2.31 hp/ha.
 Effects of Farm Mechanization

• Increases agricultural productivity and profitability

• Shorten time of operations
• Improves quality of work
• Efficient utilization of crop inputs

Undoubtedly, farm mechanization displaced animal power from 60 to

100% but resulted in less time for farm work.
 Problems on Mechanization

• Low farm gate prices

• Lack of alternative market outlet
• Limited access to credit
and agricultural insurance
• Prices are dictated by middle man
• High cost of farm inputs
• Incidence of pest and diseases
• Environmental problems
• Inadequate farm-to-market roads
• Inadequate postharvest facilities
• Inadequate irrigation
• Lack of access to current farming
technologies
• Limited support for research and
development (R&D)
• Weak extension service
 Approaches to Agricultural
Mechanization

• No interference by government on the prices of commodities.

• Increased availability of loans/less astringent requirements.
• More cooperative buying stations.
• More machinery centers (custom hiring and repairs).
• Support to manufacturers.
• More support infrastructures.
• Discourage land division.
 AFMech Law Declaration Policy

¡ Promote the development and adoption of modern, appropriate

and cost-effective, and environmentally-safe agricultural and
fishery machines and equipment.
¡ Provide conducive environment to the local assembling and
manufacturing of engines, machinery and equipment.
¡ Ensure quality and safety of locally-manufactured and imported
machines and equipment.
¡ Strengthen support services to farmers in terms of credit faculties,
research, training, and extension programs.
¡ Unify, rationalize, and strengthen the implementation, coordination
of the mechanization program.
¡ Deliver integrated support services to farmers, fisherfolks, and
other stakeholders and assist them to be able to viably operate
and manage their agricultural and fishery mechanization program.
QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS
1. Application, use and
management of various agricultural
machines, tools and equipment
used for production and post-
production operations.
a. Agricultural Mechanization
b. Agricultural Machinery
c. Agricultural and Fishery
Machinery
d. Agricultural and Food Machinery
e. None of the above
2. Machinery and equipment for the
production, harvesting, processing,
storage, manufacture, transportation
and distribution of agricultural and
fishery products.
a. Agricultural and Fisheries
Machinery
b. Agricultural and Aquacultural
Machinery
c. Agricultural and food machinery
d. Agricultural Machinery
e. None of the above
3. Utilization of hand tools,
implements for draft animals, and
mechanically-powered machines for
agricultural land development,
production, harvesting and on-farm
processing.
a. Agricultural development
b. Agricultural machinery and
equipment
c. Agricultural mechanization
d. All of the above
4. Equipment designed primarily for
agricultural field operation.
a. Farmstead Equipment
b. Agricultural Implement
c. Agricultural Field Equipment
d. Self-Propelled Machine
e. None of the above
5. Traction machine designed
primarily to supply power to
agricultural implement and
farmstead equipment.
a. Agricultural Tractor
b. Agricultural Implement
c. Agricultural Field
Equipment
d. Self-Propelled Machine
e. None of the above
6. Implement that is designed
to perform agricultural
operations and is further
classified as towed, mounted
and semi-mounted
implements.
a. Agricultural Tractor
b. Agricultural Implement
c. Agricultural Field
Equipment
d. Self-Propelled Machine
e. None of the above
7. Act Promoting Agricultural
and Fisheries Mechanization
Development in the
Philippines.
a. Republic Act 10600
b. Republic Act 10601
c. Republic Act 10602
d. All of the above
8. In order to strengthen the
farm and the fishery groups
of DA, the ____ was created
to prepare, evaluate and
recommend engineering
plans for farm and fisheries
machinery.
a. Agricultural Fisheries
Mechanization Committee
b. National Agro-fishery
Mechanization Program
c. Bureau of Agricultural and
Fisheries Engineering
d. None of the above
9. Business enterprise under
the AFMech Law aimed to
provide farmers after-sales
service and warranty, provide
custom farm mechanization
services, and services on
repair and trouble shooting, as
well as training on
maintenance and proper use
of agricultural machinery and
equipment.
a. Agri-fisheries Machinery
and Equipment Service
Centers
b. Farmer’s Machines Service
Centers
c. Farm Machines Service
Center
d. None of the above
10. Current cost sharing
scheme on farm equipment
between the Department of
Agriculture (DA) and qualified
farmers’ organization.
a. 50 : 50
b. 85 : 15
c. 15 : 85
a. None of the above
11. Monitoring body for the
service warranty provided by the
assemblers, manufacturers,
importers, suppliers, distributors,
and dealers of agri-fisheries
machines under AFMech Law.
a. LGU and BAFE
b. AMTEC and BAFE
c. PSAE and MATEC
d. None of the above
12. Bureau Director and
Assistant Director of BAFE were
appointed by the ____.
a. DA Secretary
b. President of the Philippines
c. Board of Directors of BAFE
d. None of the above
13. Which of the following is a
declaration of the policy of AFMech
Law?
a. Promote the development and
adoption of modern, appropriate and
cost-effective and environmentally-
safe agricultural and fisheries
machinery and equipment to
enhance farm productivity and
efficiency in order to achieve food
security and safety and increase
farmer’s income.
b. Provide a conducive environment
for local assembling and
manufacturing of engines, machinery
and equipment for agricultural and
fisheries production, processing and
marketing.
c. Ensure the quality and safety of
the locally manufactured or
imported machinery and equipment
by strengthening regulation through
the development and enforcement of
machinery and machine
performance standards, regular
testing and evaluation, registration,
and the accreditation and
classification of suppliers,
assemblers and manufacturers to
ensure compliance to prescribe
quality standards.
c. Strengthen support services such
as credit facilities, research, training
and extension programs, rural
infrastructure, and marketing
services.
e. Unify, rationalize and strengthen
the implementation, coordination of
activities and mechanism on
agricultural and fisheries
mechanization programs and
projects.
f. Deliver integrated support
services to farmers and other
stakeholders, and assist them to be
able to viably operate and manage
their agricultural and fisheries
mechanization projects.
g. All of the above