Level of Agricultural Mechanization in Oriental Mindoro, Laguna
and Quezon, Philippines Using the
Modified Agricultural Mechanization Index for Lowland Rice

Rossana Marie C. Amongo1, Mark Keylord S. Onal2, Maria Victoria L. Larona3, Arthur L. Fajardo4, Clarissa Ileana L. Ilao5, Gherlee Nelle L. Lalap6, Adrian A. Borja7, Charleen Grace V. Deniega8 and Johanan V. Sumague8

 ABSTRACT

The Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Law of 2013 mandated the government to increase its support and investment for the distribution of agricultural mechanization technologies (AMTs) throughout the country in support of its food security and sufficiency programs. For an equitable distribution of AMTs, a standard protocol to determine the current level of mechanization expressed in terms of agricultural mechanization index was established, through the formulation of the Modified Agricultural Mechanization Index (MAMI). MAMIrice was established based on soil type, windows for each operation, operational hours per day, source of power for each operation, actual utilization of power source, the chemicals applied, crop care practices, crop water requirement, efficiency for each operation, rice variety, and yield per cropping season. MAMIrice was applied in determining the level of mechanization per farming operations in Oriental Mindoro, Laguna and Quezon provinces. Results showed that the level of mechanization in Oriental Mindoro were 1.013 hp/ha for operations mostly done by man-animal system, 3.029 hp/ha for operations involving man-machine system using plowing-harrowing and reaping-threshing, and 1.780 hp/ha for man-machine system that uses rototilling and rice combine harvesting. For Laguna, the level of mechanization was 0.745 hp/ha, 1.836 hp/ha and 1.232 hp/ha for man-animal system, man-machine system using plowing-harrowing and reaping-threshing, and man-machine system using rototilling and combine harvesting. For Quezon, the level of mechanization for man-animal system using plowing-harrowing and reaping-threshing was 2.646 hp/ha, 4.565 hp/ha for man-machine system, and 2.505 hp/ha for man-machine system using rototilling and combine harvesting. The values obtained for the three provinces were still way below the computed theoretical agricultural mechanization index, 5.071 hp/ha, that would yield at least 6 ton/ha. A computed agricultural mechanization index can be considered ideal if the target yield of 6 tons/ha is attained and utilization of the machines is efficient and not underutilized.

Keywords: agricultural mechanization, agricultural mechanization index, level of mechanization, MAMIrice

1Associate Professor 6, 2Assistant Professor 1, 4Associate Professor 2, Agricultural Machinery Division, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology, University of the Philippines Los Ban os, 4031, College, Laguna, Philippines (Author for correspondence email: [email protected]; Tel.: +63 49 536 2792)
3University Researcher II, 5University Research Associate II, 6University Research Associate I, 7Engineer II, Center for Agri-Fisheries and Biosystems Mechanization, College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology, University of the Philippines Los Ban os, 4031, College, Laguna, Philippines
8BS ABE Graduate, Agricultural Machinery Division, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology, University of the Philippines Los Ban os, 4031, College, Laguna, Philippines

Citation:
Amongo, R.M.C, Onal, M.K.S., Larona, M.V.L., Fajardo, A.L., Ilao, C.I.L., Lalap, G.N.L., Borja, A.A.,
Deniega, C.G.V. and Sumague, J.V. (2018). Level of Agricultural Mechanization in Oriental Mindoro,
Laguna and Quezon, Philippines Using the Modified Agricultural Mechanization Index for Lowland
Rice. Philippine Journal of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, 14, 55-70.