28-07-2025
State-level farm machinery inventory survey soon
Vijayawada: Director of agriculture S Dilli Rao announced on Sunday that the village farm machinery inventory survey will be launched shortly across the state, with a target completion date of August 31. This comprehensive survey, to be carried out by agricultural assistants at Rythu Seva Kendras (RSKs), will cover machinery held by individual farmers, institutions, FPOs, PACS, and private service providers, regardless of whether it was acquired through subsidies or personal funds.
Speaking to the media, Dilli Rao explained that the survey aims to assess machinery availability based on crop area and season, and identify gaps at the village level. This approach will help develop village-specific, need-based budget plans and ensure a targeted supply of equipment.
The survey will collect data on the ownership, usage, model, manufactured date, and condition of machinery, which will then be fed into the Farm Management Information System (FMIS) in the APAIMS 2.0 version developed by Vassar Labs.
This digital integration is expected to enhance planning, monitoring, and budget allocation for farm mechanisation. Dilli Rao further explained the key objectives of the survey, which include creating a digital inventory of machinery at individual, institutional, and RBK levels, assessing the availability versus requirement of equipment by crop season and agro-climatic zone, providing data-driven support for Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs), identifying idle or underutilised equipment for redistribution or shared use, and supporting policy formulation on farm machinery subsidies and deployment. He described the initiative as a strategic digital move that lays the foundation for future-ready, technology-driven agriculture.
Dilli Rao called it a vital step toward equitable access to modern tools, efficient resource use, and inclusive mechanization, particularly for small and marginal farmers. District agricultural officers have been instructed to take personal responsibility to ensure the survey is completed through RSK assistants by the August 31 deadline.
