THE IMPACT OF FARM POWER AVAILABILITY AND ENERGY-USE DYNAMICS ON RICE PRODUCTIVITY: AN ANALYSIS ACROSS AGRO-CLIMATIC ZONES OF ASSAM

Abstract

This paper highlights the structure of impact of availability of farm power and its energy dynamics on the productivity of rice production in three distinct agro-climatic regions of Assam such as Sivasagar, Nagaon, and Barpeta. Based on primary survey data collected from 360 agricultural households, the analysis estimates the inventory of mechanized machines, Effective Field Capacity (EFC), Man-Machine Ratio (MMR), energy intensity in terms of megajoules per bigha (MJ/bigha), and the total Man-Machine Productivity. The results of the research show significant differences within the state that are caused by cropping intensity and machinery adoption. The largest value of Man-Machine Productivity was found in Barpeta (8.87), whereas it is slightly lower in Nagaon (6.89) and Sivasagar (5.29). The energy intensity in Barpeta (683.55 MJ/bigha) and Nagaon (663.72 MJ/bigha) is the highest one because of intensive use of groundwater irrigation and multi-seasonal agriculture. Even though mechanical power such as power tillers, tractors, and diesel/electric pump sets have substituted traditional draught animal power for seedbed preparation and water management, post-tillage activities (transplanting, weeding, and harvesting) are carried out manually in all three agro-climatic zones. Such structure of the farming process leads to a severe labour constraint and high labour hours (73,112 hours in Nagaon and 54,704 hours in Barpeta), thereby reducing potential productivity benefits. Mechanization leads to increased cropping intensity (152-162%) and improved productivity, rising from 2271 kg/ha in 2018-2019 to 2652 kg/ha in 2022-2023, with Nagaon and Barpeta achieving 3250 kg/ha and 4157 kg/ha respectively.