Two-wheel tractor (2WT) or better known as a power tiller is a generic term understood in the USA and in parts of Europe as a rotary tiller that can be wheeled and/or self-propelled but normally not. The terms power tiller or rotary tiller are always understood here in Asia to be rubber or iron wheeled, self-propelled machines of 5 - 18 HP and usually powered by heavy duty single cylinder diesel engines (many Asian countries historically have had a high luxury tax on petrol/gasoline). Current (and past) two-wheel farm tractors are offered with wide range attachments such as rotovators, moldboard, disc-plow and spike-tooth harrows, seeders, and planters. Even the the zero till/no-till attachments have become available. Mowers, reaper/grain harvesters and even combine harvesters are available for them. Also very important is their ability to pull trailers with 2 plus ton cargoes. All the chores done by larger 4-wheel tractors. (for further details on 2WTs please see Wikipedia Two-wheel tractor page that NAEF has begun).

Incredibly, many international agricultural research and development organizations do not realize the importance that 2WTs play in developing countries agriculture. Millions of Chinese 2WTs are working in CHina's small farms. Thailand has over 2M locally manufactured 2WTs. 300,000 Chinese 2WTs perform 80-90% of land preparation in Bangladesh and 120,000 Chinese 2WTs perform a similar amount of tillage in Sri Lanka. Numbers of 2WTs are growing in Nepal, India, Afghanistan and parts of Africa but yet FAO statistics only mention the lack of 4-wheel tractors in these countries.

History of two-wheel tractors in Nepal began with efforts in the mid 1970s to promote Japanese project imported two-wheel tractors. Adoption remained low through most of the 1980s. In the late 1970s early 1980s private importers began importing Chinese two-wheel tractors. Chinese two-wheel tractors were and are currently 50% less cost than the comparable Japanese or Indian manufactured two-wheel tractors. Still adoption remained relatively low and and limited to the Kathmandu and Pokhara urban - suburban areas and imports ceased in 1992. After seeing the importance that 2WTs were playing in China's mechanization process CIMMYT's Peter Hobbs and his local partner National Agriculture Research Council NARC began R&D of them in Nepal in 1990. From 1990 though slow going at first once but through a growing coalition of projects and partners (that included NAEF (joining in 2000) and private sector importers 2WTs once once being imported. And more importantly they were being sold not only in Kathmandu and Pokhara but all around Nepal/ While sadly funding support waned and our international partners CIMMYT dropped out in 2005, and Rice Wheat Consortium in 2006, the coalition continues with NAEF support.

Our statistics on adoption of 2WTs show that by 2001 there were nearly 800 new 2WTs added to the 600 existing older tractors was nearly 1400. The next couple years importers brought in nearly another 2000 2WTs . Sadly the numbers dwindled due to the civilwar conflict and have not yet recoverd. Even so NAEF puts the current (October 2009) number of 2WTs at almost 10,000 tractors. While no formal national level impact assessment has been done, our coalitions' observations have shown that the 2WTs are being bought by small sub-two hectare farmers who are providing a range of agricultural and transport services to very small and poor farmers of Nepal.

• 10,000 successful 2WT based micro enterprises bringing increased benefits to the family members
• They provide tillage, threshing, transport, etc, services to over 100,000 neighboring small and large farmers
• Reduced cost, reduce tillage services to over 120,000 hectares of farmers land per year (through nearly two crops per year).
• Savings to these renting farmers, over bullock or 4-wheel tractor rentals, ranges from 30-50%.
• Savings in diesel to Nepal if these 120,000 hectares had been prepared by 4-wheel tractors is over 1,800,000 liters or 180 tanker trucks.
• Or over 4,300,000 kilograms (4.3 MT) of carbon dioxide (2.4 kilos per liter) per year

See also:

Participatory technology development in Nepal: how it happened and lessons learnt Chanda Gurung-Goodrich et. al. From Development in Practice, Volume 18, Numbers 4-4. August 2008. Oxfam, Oxford, Routledge Publishing, UK. ISSN 0961-4524. (pdf-126K)

The Changing Power Tiller Innovation System in Nepal: An Actor-Oriented Analysis Biggs et al (pdf- 579 K)

Kathmandu Valley Two-Wheel Tractor Innovation System Survey 2003 (pdf- 62K)

Participatory Technology Development in Agricultural Mechanization Research Chanda Gurung and Scott Justice(pdf- 213K)

Report from CABI-DFID on 2WTs impact on farming households in three villages in Bara and Parsa Districts, Nepal.