Agricultural Science (AS)·Agricultural technology · NSSCAS 5.1a
Farm mechanisation, sustainability & the tractor
Narrated lesson · press play
In Omusati, one farmer prepares a small plot by hand in a whole week; nearby, a commercial farmer prepares the same land by tractor before breakfast. So should every farmer rush out and buy a tractor? In this lesson we weigh the advantages and disadvantages of mechanisation, ask what it does to our soil and air, learn to farm with machines sustainably, and get to know the tractor itself — what it does and how to keep it running season after season.
What you'll learn in this lesson
By the end you should be able to (NSSCAS Agricultural Science (AS) 5.1a):
- Explain what farm mechanisation means and describe its main advantages (speed, timeliness, labour saving, larger areas)
- Describe the disadvantages of mechanisation (high cost, maintenance, fuel, job losses, soil compaction)
- Assess the impact of farm mechanisation on the environment (fossil-fuel emissions, soil compaction and erosion, fuel and oil spills, noise)
- Discuss the methods that make the use of farm machinery sustainable (minimum/conservation tillage, correct machine size, regular servicing, precision agriculture, biofuels, controlled traffic)
- Analyse the factors that affect the selection of farm machinery and tools (farm size, enterprise, capital, terrain, spares and service, labour, power requirement)
- Describe the use of a tractor as the primary power unit (pulling implements, PTO drive, hydraulics, transport)
- Describe the routine maintenance of a tractor, including the battery, oil, water/coolant, fuel, tyre pressure, greasing and filters
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