About four decades ago, hand tractors and carabao drawn implements followed by farm workers were the scenes in the agricultural landscapes of rice and corn production, and farm laborers planting and toiling under the sun.  One can only imagine how hard it is to produce staples that feed our people. This had been depicted in a song “planting rice is never fun”.

In recognition of the plight of the backbone of our economy, the UPLB Institute of Agricultural Engineering Technology (INSAET) established the Agricultural Mechanization Development program to participate in the Regional Network for Agricultural Machinery in 1979, a project of the United Nations-Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP).  AMDPs primary goal then as it is today is to improve the farming activity through the generation and application of appropriate mechanization technologies for the intended users. Years later in the 1990s, did its share by formulating a comprehensive agricultural mechanization development plan, significant portion of it was adapted by the Department of Agriculture.