ASSIGNMENT ON AEE 403

TOPIC: THE PROSPECT AND CONTENT OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

BY

OGBUKA CHINELO MAT. NO. AGR0609185 500 LEVEL (PART TIME)

GROUP SIX (FPT)

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCE FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN

APRIL 2012

BRIEF HISTORY Agricultural Engineering is the engineering discipline that applies engineering science and technology to agricultural production and processing. Agricultural engineering combines the disciplines of animal biology, plant biology and mechanical, civil, electrical and chemical engineering principles with the knowledge of agricultural principles. The first curriculum in Agricultural Engineering was established of Iowa State University by J.B. Davidson in 1905. The American Society of Agricultural Engineers, now known as the American Society of Agriculture and Biological Engineering was founded in 1907. In the 1930s, Agricultural Engineering generally played a marginal role in Europe, although this varied from country to country. Various new machines had been developed or improved for agricultural use in the course of the preceding century but despite the importance of agricultural engineering for the primary sector, development was still slow and limited in scope. The design of agricultural machines and buildings was based on skills and accumulated experience rather than co-ordinated scientific research. The same applies the post-harvesting technologies and greenhouses as well as ergonomics, safety and work organization. Environmental protection and sustainable land development did not become subjects of scientific research until much later.

FOUNDATION OF CIGR To foster the international co-operation of researchers and to combine it with a concern for position physical work conditions in farming and in rural activities, the international commission of Agricultural engineering was founded in 1930 in Liege, Belgium, by a small group of farsighted European agricultural engineering scientist from Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK. According to the reports of this congres international du Genic Rural the Commission of Agricultural Engineering was declared effective on August, 1930 in the Academic Hall of the University of Liege. The main role of CIGR was summarized in three words, liaison, coordinations and initiatives. On this basis, the foundation congress made a first attempt to develop an agricultural engineering curriculum to combine research and activities from various branches of study in the interest of further international progress it defined areas on which the work of CIGR should concentrate in its four technical sections. SECTION (1) Land Reclamation including Agricultural water management (drainage, irrigation, sanitation, embanking) land management, land clearing. SECTION (II) Farm building

SECTION (III) Mechanics with farm machinery, mechanized farm operations, electricity. SECTION (IV) Scientific work organization.

Agricultural engineering are unique in that their discipline requires them to be able to understand not only engineering principle, but how these principles can be applied to a variety operations within a biological system. The profession of Agricultural engineering is closely allied with various land-based industries. It has its origins in the development of mechanized systems to support production agriculture, and although this is still a focus, the profession has greatly expanded its scientific base include the mechanization of various biological systems, in addition to production agriculture. Agricultural engineering is a very diverse discipline offering the potential to apply engineering at a variety of levels to some biological system. For example, some agricultural engineers are involved with the development processes to modify or measure cellular changes within a biological system. Others apply engineering principle to processes designed to operate with whole structure or species within a biological system. Animal and plant species usually are associated with such processes might involve the establishment of mechanically assisted

growing, regulating, harvesting, storage and/or processing system for the

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species or commodities involved. Agricultural engineers are involved in the utilization of biological materials for industrial applications. Some develop new extruded materials using combination of long-chain molecular materials as feed inputs. Others design extrusion machines for specific industrial applications. Agricultural engineering also work closely with polymer chemist to design biological materials with unique properties, such as gels and gums. Others work with transducers to measure physical parameters associated with biological systems such as cellular-level changes that occur during crop growth. Soil stresses under tractor hires, e.t.c. Others develop skills that enable them to write computer software for modeling and analysis of some aspect of a biological system. Some use their computer software skills to digitize and analyse images from machines vision cameras. Agricultural engineers are also design engineers. They design structures and ventilation systems for livestock confinement housing, harvesting, storage and processing of various crops and other biological commodities. Agricultural engineers are involved with soil scientists and agronomist in using computers and electronics to enable farmers to produce their crops move efficiently and with less damage to the environment. This is achieved by monitoring resources inputs and crop yield over small submits within a field and is referred to as site specific

farming. Satellites are used to position field equipments and sensors provide records of resource inputs and yields. Other agricultural engineers are concern with mechanical handling and packaging systems for biological materials. Agricultural engineers generally specialize in one of five major areas: farm structures, mechanical power, electrification, soil and water conservation, and food engineering. Engineers who work in farm structures design farmhouses, barns and other animal shelters, and crop storage facilities such as silos and granaries. In addition, they plan sanitation, ventilation, and heating systems for these buildings. Agricultural engineers also design power machines used on farms for land tilling, insect control, fertilization, and harvesting. Agricultural engineers involved in electrification may design an electric power system for a rural region. Others develop or improve ways to use electric power for such purposes as curing and drying crops or dehydrating food. Engineers who work in soil and water conservation develop irrigation, drainage, and flood control systems. The newest specialty of agricultural engineers is that of food processing. In this work, engineers design efficient food plants and new machinery to preserve, package, and distribute foods.

CAREER PROSPECTS Agricultural engineering is an exciting, dynamic discipline that transcends many boundaries both in the engineering and biological science. Career prospects for agricultural engineers continues to expand and grow as the discipline further evolves and interact with a broad range of engineering and biologically based industries. Industrial and individuals employing agricultural engineers induce the food processing industry, environmental engineering firms and consultants, materials handling industries, irrigation equipment manufactures, water supply agencies, equipment manufactures, instrumentation companies, computer companies and consultants, building designers and waste handling companies.

Agricultural engineers apply knowledge of engineering technology and science to agriculture and the efficient use of biological resources. They design agricultural machinery and equipment and agricultural structures. Some specialize in areas such as power systems and machinery design; structures and environment engineering; and food and bioprocess engineering. They develop ways to conserve soil and water and to improve the processing of agricultural products. Agricultural engineers often work in research and development, production, sales, or management.

The employment outlook for agricultural engineers is good. Although the growth rate in many agricultural fields is expected to be small, agricultural engineers will make gains by diversifying from their original domain and extending into the conservation industry, where the reuse of agricultural waste materials is an important development. The increasing world population will also prove a boon to the agriculture industry as a whole, as the demand for farm products increases. Working Conditions Working conditions for agricultural engineers depend on the kind of work they do. Some of their work may be done in laboratories, in offices, or at the designing table. Sometimes their work requires observation in the field. They may need to investigate farm operations, survey land use and conditions, or test new equipment. Engineers normally work thirty-five to forty hours a week. However, they may work more hours when a project is near completion or to meet a deadline.

REFERENCES

Brown, R.H. (ed). (1988). CRC handbook of engineering agriculture. Boca Raton, FL.: CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-3860-3.

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Field, H. L., Solie, J. B., & Roth, L. O. (2007). Introduction to agricultural engineering technology: a problem solving approach. New York: Springer. ISBN 0-387-36913-9.

Stewart, Robert E. (1979). Seven decades that changed America: a history of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 1907-1977. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE. OCLC 5947727.

DeForest, S. S. (2007). The vision that cut drugery from farming forever. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASAE. ISBN 1-892769-61-1.