Context-Specific Design and Evaluation of Ridging Attachment for Raised Bed Vegetable Cultivation in Meghalaya,...

Raised bed vegetable cultivation is widely practiced after paddy in the foothill and valley areas of Meghalaya, Northeast India. Traditionally, raised beds are prepared manually using spades, a process that is not only laborious and time-consuming but also poses considerable ergonomic risks. To address these issues, a study was conducted to evaluate risk factors, and to design, develop, and test a ridging attachment for power tillers that could be effectively used in the narrow terraces and small fields typical of hill farming systems.

A case study was conducted in selected vegetable-growing areas of Meghalaya, Northeast India during the year 2023-2024. Field visits and observations documented current raised bed methods, while interviews and discussions with 64 farmers (40 male, 24 female) via semi-structured questionnaires identified existing tools, bed sizes, labor needs, and ergonomic issues in manual preparation. Ergonomic stress and strain were assessed using the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire (SNQ), Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), and heart rate monitoring.

Survey findings revealed nearly 84% of respondents experienced physical discomfort, with lower back pain being reported by about 80% of them. Physiological workload assessment placed manual bed preparation in the "very heavy" category. REBA analysis further indicated postures adopted during the task scored between 8 and 10 (Action Level 3) for over 70% of participants, signifying a high-risk activity requiring urgent intervention. In response, a ridging attachment was developed, aligning agronomic requirements with ergonomic considerations. Performance evaluation demonstrated significant benefits: a field capacity of 0.103 ha/h (around 20 times higher than manual preparation), a 92% reduction in labor demand, and a 95% savings in time. Fuel use and draft forces remained within acceptable ranges. Economic analysis indicated about 76% reduction in costs, with a payback period of less than two crop cycles.

Overall, the developed ridging attachment proved to be a cost-effective, farmer-friendly technology that not only minimizes drudgery but also enhances efficiency in raised bed vegetable cultivation. This innovation contributes to context-specific mechanization strategies and supports sustainable intensification of smallholder farming in the hill regions of Northeast India.