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Work Planning and Scheduling in Farming

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Human-Centered Agriculture

Part of the book series: Design Science and Innovation ((DSI))

Abstract

The work planning and scheduling help workers to be productive without undue fatigue or any health issues. Worldwide, farming is primarily seasonal, and crop-specific farm operations are time-bound. The work schedule approaches conventionally applicable in the industrial environment are out of place in agriculture due to a variety of farming/crop growth requirements. This contribution elucidates the rationale of work schedules in relation to demographic trend, shift working system, and work–rest guidelines in reducing human fatigue in work. Globally, the average age of the working population is increasing by about one-half for each passing year. The most populous nations, China and India, provide distinct features of the population trend. The observation beckons that the Indian male youth segments were moving out of agriculture, and more women remained in regular activities, making feminization of agriculture. The youth component in China is relatively small, in comparison to population ageing 60 years and above. The question that looms frighteningly large is the challenge of integrating a massive number of old elderly into society, not merely as passive recipients of care but as active contributors to the economy. The concept of rationalization of working age calls for more emphasis on adopting flexible arrangements in retirement, whereby human skills and capacities are effectively utilized. However, the concept of retirement age in agriculture may not hold good in many developing countries as many of the farms are family-based. The contribution describes the prevailing work time systems, such as flexible daily hours, compressed workweek/extended workday, shift work, and overtime schedules. Since farming activities are grossly weather dependent and seasonal, the apparent over time is not uncommon in activities, such as sowing, weeding, and harvesting. The work system analysis covers human strain and drudgery, and planning of optimal work and rest cycle. The physiological methods of assessing human drudgery in various types of work and the perspectives of worktime planning in labour-intensive agriculture are elucidated herewith, intertwining both the technical and social systems.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environment and Disaster Management, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (Deemed University), Kolkata, West Bengal, India

    P. K. Nag

  2. AICRP, Ergonomics and Safety in Agriculture, Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (ICAR), Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

    L. P. Gite

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Nag, P.K., Gite, L.P. (2020). Work Planning and Scheduling in Farming. In: Human-Centered Agriculture . Design Science and Innovation. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7269-2_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7269-2_5

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