Havrland B., Růžička M., Srnec K.
Abstract
The farm machinery is a
system that is used by higher or lower efficiency and impacted by production
costs, especially farm machinery prices and other technologic inputs. On the
opposite side there are outputs which can generally be designed as proceeds. The
proceeds especially are the yield and price of the product. Both of them can be
considered as technologic outputs. However, there is still problem of proper
(and sufficiently general) criterion for the assessment of the technology. Such
a criterion has been chosen as the net margin gained as a result of the
difference of total costs and total incomes per unit of the production area or
unit of the production. In view of the above criterion the yield and product
price can also be considered as independent variables with the strongest impact
on the net margin. Methodology of net margin calculation is complicated and
sometimes not fully transparent. A new (proper) methodological approach has been
conceived in the concept of ATMP (Agricultural Technology Management Program)
that has proved its appropriateness for extension services in both developed as
well as less developed countries. The Program is meant to provide not only the
art of work to the extension worker in formulating sound and exact technological
advice but also a modeling tool to analyze field technologic processes and find
their result. The correct technological information (particularly on machinery
sets and agronomic requirements) must be available so that correct and rapid
economic (costs) and finally crop budget calculations could be done. The program
also demonstrates an attempt to put into practice the concept of “precision
technology” based on precision machinery inputs, which reduces machinery input
costs. Preceding field survey carried out in Zambia (August – Sept. 2003)
supplied basic data for technology design and economic calculations. Purely
mechanized technology was selected for the modeling purposes. The technology was
designed for Zambian conditions. In the first block, critical maize-grain yield
was found, in the second the critical maizegrain price was tested while in the
third one, combination of both of them was used. From more possible combinations
the critical one has been found on the level of 7 ton per hectare and 115 USD
per ton.
Key words:
ATMP – precision
technology – crop budget - comparison table – dependent and independent
variables – proceeds – net margin