Improving the Design of Bullock Driven Tractor (BDT) to Make It User-Friendly

Abstract

Human and animal power contributes extensively to the daily affairs of people living in the rural areas in India. Draught animal power (DAP) has been in use for millennia and is still relevant as it is a renewable and holistic resource. It is suitable for the needs of the farmers with small land holding and capable of performing agricultural activities such as ploughing, planting, harvesting and processing. The need is to make the use of DAP more efficient and user-friendly as well as animal-friendly. Improvement in these technologies will go a long way in the effort towards sustainable rural development. One such initiative of improving the existing bullock driven tractor (BDT) was taken up by Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) IIT Delhi team. With “Bullock Drawn Tractor” it is inferred as a tilling device which provides comfort to the tiller and incorporates the features of the modern tractor and is also more efficient than the conventional plough. In this paper, the experience of developing lifting solutions for attachments used for cultivation has been discussed. A new low-cost lifting mechanism has solved the problem and has also resulted in improving the operation of BDT. Alternative seating arrangement proposed for the farmer was well-received by them. The farmers have appreciated the modifications during the trials conducted in Dahina village in Haryana and villages near Balaghat and Tamia in Madhya Pradesh. The modified BDT needs active promotion in the villages before effective adoption by farmers.