Citation

Binswanger H. World Bank Res. Obs. 1986; 1(1): 27-56.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1986, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank, Publisher Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/wbro/1.1.27

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The article provides a detailed comparative historical review of the patterns of agricultural mechanization by operation. The first section reemphasizes the major conclusions of the induced innovation literature, and the second section shows the remarkable similarity in the early mechanization experiences of the developed and developing countries. New mechanical power sources were first used on power-intensive operations such as processing, pumping, transport, and tillage, while mechanization of control-intensive operations came much later and usually in association with high wages. Finally, an investigation of the process of agricultural machinery innovation shows that the public sector and corporate research has contributed little to machinery invention. Machinery innovation has generally been the domain of small manufacturers, with corporations becoming significant in later stages of product development and engineering optimization.