Industry body CII on Sunday asked the government to form a joint working group with private sector to suggest a roadmap for mechanisation of farms to boost agriculture productivity.

“The policy framework should encourage farmers to move towards greater use of farm equipment which will lead to higher agricultural productivity and thus higher farm incomes and crop yields,” the chamber said in a statement in New Delhi.

It suggested that it is time to shift the policy focus from Rupees per Kilogram to Rupees per Acre.

Proposing an 8-point plan to increase agricultural productivity, CII has recommended that a National Mission on Farm Mechanisation should undertake work on urgent basis.

Availability of farm implements and machinery would hinge on maintaining a stock of such equipment at state agro corporations or agri universities for deployment on farms.

“This could be done on a hire-purchase or lease basis so that small and medium farmers as well as large farms could access them as required,” it said, adding that the government should incentivise purchase of machinery.

Loans should be offered on agricultural interest rates and lending norms should be liberal, flexible and transparent, it added.

It further said that technology transfer from foreign firms could be promoted through joint ventures besides establishing R&D facilities.

The participation of private industry in farm mechanisation would be critical, it said, adding that dedicated extension programmes in public-private partnership mode are needed.

“While selective mechanisation in our country has improved agricultural conditions in certain parts of the country, it is still a bottom of the pyramid story and it will remain so unless concrete measures are taken to propel farmers towards adoption of efficient farm mechanisation practices,” CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said.

It said that despite significant improvements in crop productivity during the Green Revolution, yields in India have nearly stagnated for two decades and are around 35-50 per cent below international averages.

Experts estimate that by 2025, agriculture productivity should increase by 100 per cent to sustain the projected population of 1.36 billion.