FMTTI boon to farmers, agri-students

• Only institute for entire south India located at Garladinne mandal in Anantapur
• Institute provides training and testing of agriculture machines suitable to different geographical conditions

Anantapur: The Southern Region’s Farmers Machinery Testing and Training Institute (FMTTI) located in Garladinne mandal in the district is one of the four prestigious institutes in the country and the lone institute for the entire South India.

Every year, hundreds of agriculture students, farmers and agriculture government functionaries descend to the institute for research, training and testing of agriculture machines suitable to different geographical conditions.

They are trained in automation and operation of the farm machinery of various kinds suitable to different geographical regions in the country.

The training institute spread in a lush green nearly 200 hectares and has training facilities for 100 persons, who come from different parts of the country particularly south Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The trainees are taught extensively on farm mechanisation, soil testing, crop suitability in different agronomy climates and in the operation of the latest farm machinery.

Apart from farmers, who believe in model farming, agriculture students come here for exposure trips on farm mechanisation and to have exposure to farmers from throughout the country.

Senior Agriculture Engineer P C Meshram, talking to The Hans India, stated that the institute caters to farmers in the district on demonstration of agriculture machines including tilling machines, crop harvesting machines and paddy transplantation machines.

Demonstration camps are organised in farm fields at the request of farmers.

For sustainable development of agriculture and enhancement of land productivity, improved implements and quality agricultural machines are important.

They help to achieve timeliness of farm operations enabling efficient use of other inputs such as seed, pesticides, fertilisers and water.
Under dynamic situation of changing cropping patterns as influenced by socioeconomic factors, identification of quality and need based agricultural machines are of paramount importance, the institute engineers say.

Thangachan, a farmer from Tamil Nadu and Obul Reddy from a Karnataka border village says that the training was very useful and is aimed at preparing master trainers, who in turn can train farmers in their regions on several aspects of farming.

Most of the trainees are being used as resource persons in their region by agriculture departments concerned.

In the light of urgent need for testing of agricultural machinery, the Government of India has set up FMTTIs in order to check performance of agricultural machines before taking decision to import or manufacture and introduce in Indian agriculture.

The institute by carrying out tests and performance evaluation of agricultural machines is providing support for the appropriate selection and utilisation of agricultural machines when it is introduced to the farm and at the same time supports the industry for manufacturing proper farm machinery.

The institute has training facilities, staff faculty quarters, mess for trainees, recreation clubs and all facilities for the inmates.