Ensuring safe and efficient farm machinery through standards endorsement and testing of farm machinery and recommending the same to end users is one of three major mandates of Agriculture Machinery Centre. After intensive awareness on importance of the standards and benefits it has for both the business community and end users, the request to test the farm machinery are pouring in from both public and private firms and which is indeed a positive trend. A few of the activities conducted in the month of November is shared.
In this month, reaper machine from Sonam Dongphel dealer was tested based on the MoAF standards in ARDC Bajo fields after completing the formal signing agreement. Also the Indonesian made reaper of FMCL is also being tested in ARDC, Samteling field in south and completed today. Also based on the request from FMCL, Mitsubishi power tiller is being tested and the engine performance issue shall be tabled in the upcoming BSB TC meeting. A daily tests on engine performance for different petrol engines was conducted along with JICA expert support through the SfaMP-II, project of AMC, JICA for duration of 3 weeks in this month.
On November 24, 2017, Karma One stop also brought their rice mill, oil expeller and flour mill to be tested. AMC shall conduct the test based on MoAF or National Standard whichever is endorsed.
If the machines are indeed within the standard requirements, AMC shall support in recommending it to end users through all mediums to ensure the positive impact. The drafting of standards, test codes and also the setting of the testing facilities is indeed a mammoth task and the support of SFaMP-II project of JICA for AMC is appreciated.