Impact of agricultural mechanization on employment and food production

2) MECHANIZATION OVER THE LONG RUN, IS THE ONLY VIABLE MEANS OF INCREASING AGRICULTURAL HORSE-POWER PER HECTARE. 3) FOSSIL FUELS ARE LIKELY TO BE THE MAIN ENERGY SOURCE FOR MOBILE AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT TWENTY TO THIRTY YEARS. 4) IN ITS EARLY STAGES, MECHANIZATION USUALLY HAS VERY LITTLE, IF ANY, EFFECT ON CROP YIELDS. 5) IN ITS EARLY STAGES, MECHANIZATION MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH A SLIGHT INCREASE IN MULTIPLE CROPPING AND SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS IN THE TYPES OF CROPS GROWN. 6) MECHANIZATION WHICH REPLACES ANIMAL POWER USUALLY RESULTS IN A REDUCTION IN LABOR INPUTS. 7) NON-AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT ENGAGED IN THE MANUFACTURE, DISTRIBUTION, REPAIR, AND MAINTENANCE OF FARM EQUIPMENT REPLACES ONLY A SMALL PART OF THE DISPLACEMENT IN ON-FARM EMPLOYMENT RESULTING FROM MECHANIZATION. 8) TRACTORIZATION PROGRAMS MAY RESULT IN A GRADUAL INCREASE IN THE SIZE OF LAND HOLDINGS AND THE DISPLACEMENT OF TENANTS OR FARM WORKERS, UNLESS THERE ARE INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS OR GOVERNMENT POLICIES TO PREVENT OR DISCOURAGE SUCH TRENDS. 9) GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE MECHANIZATION THROUGH SUBSIDIZED INTEREST RATES, FAVORABLE IMPORT ARRANGEMENTS, OR INCREASED CREDIT AVAILABILITY CAN CAUSE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE RATE OF MECHANIZATION AND ARE LIKELY TO BENEFIT LARGE LANDHOLDERS MORE THAN OTHERS. 10) FINALLY, THE MECHANIZATION OF AGRICULTURE IS A CONTINUOUS AND INEVITABLE PROCESS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUT ONE WHOSE SPEED AND DIRECTION CAN BE ALTERED BY PUBLIC POLICIES AND PROGRAMS.