Identification of Patterns of Farm Equipment Utilization in Two Agricultural Regions of Central and Northern México

Using a descriptive approach, a study of the dynamics of farm mechanization was performed in the agricultural regions of Delicias, Chihuahua and La Begoña, Guanajuato, México. The study was aimed at identifying patterns of farm equipment utilization through multivariate analyses of relevant data. A total of 135 farmers were interviewed, along with 21 extension agents and 22 farm machinery dealers. A mechanization index was developed to characterize the mechanization level of individual farmers. The methodology used for pattern definition was based on dimensionality reduction through principal component analysis. Three principal components were subjected to hierarchical clustering in order to assemble respondents into groups. Five distinct groups of farmers were identified in Delicias and four in La Begoña. Each group featured a unique combination of characteristics for which the use of farm equipment was well differentiated, including subsistence, and various forms of commercial agriculture. Results suggest that most farmers in the two regions have access to relatively large amounts of tractor power and other mechanical inputs through a diverse set of mechanisms. The proposed mechanization index relates actual mechanical work expenditure to mean regional values. The index was derived for each farmer from descriptions of farm operations obtained by survey. The mechanization index integrated values for all crops grown during a single season using area-weighted averages. The mechanization index has the potential to be used in establishing optimal levels of mechanical inputs where adequate productivity information is available.