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NAEF has considerable history of work in advocacy of a socially
equitable agricultural and rural mechanization process in
Nepal and elsewhere. Not an easy task considering the current
government, donor, and even academic negative attitudes towards
mechanization that has manifested in a long drought for funding
in R&D in agriculture and rural development. This has
many reasons but basically comes from past development projects
inappropriate selection of agricultural machine technologies
in the 1970s and 1980s and then their rusting hulks in Africa
becoming the “poster child” of the mistakes of
the Green Revolution. These mistaken, over simplistic perceptions,
like tractors = rural unemployment has translated to anti-mechanization
national and donor policies in Nepal and many other developing
countries. This said NAEF's continued support to the national
dialogue in Nepal where we continue highlight positive impact
of mechanization in the region, has led to the Nepal government
to re-evaluate its current stance. Indeed, the just ratified
(June 07) Ministry of Agriculture and CooperativesMinistry
of Agriculture and Cooperatives' strategic agricultural
three year plan, agricultural and rural mechanization has
been, for the first time since the 1970s, been included without
reservation.
Support to the NAMC National Agricultural
Mechanization Committee, Chaired by the Secretary of Agriculture
and Cooperatives, in the Government of Nepal.
UNAPCAEM United Nation’s
Asian Pacific Center for Agricultural Engineering and Machinery
Rural
Mechanization in Africa NAEF has sponsored several small
email debates on mechanization in Africa
Rural Mechanization in India Various
efforts to promote socially equitable mechanization processes.
Rural Mechanization in Afghanistan
Through multiple visits over the last three years NAEF has
aided in bringing resouce conserving technologies like the
Chinese two-wheel tractor and zero till drills for four-wheel
tractors
Rural Mechanization in Nigeria
Through a simple single intervention in nothern Nigeria NAEF
and its partners have help jumpstart a rural and agricultural
mechanization process.
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