Combine harvesters are being adopted increasingly in the Asia-Pacific region, including in countries with a lower rate of mechanization, as they save time and cost in farming operations combining major harvesting operations – reaping, threshing, and winnowing. While combine harvesters contribute to increased productivity and harvesting capacity, they still imply an elevated cost in terms of food loss when less efficient or poorly maintained machines are used. This can significantly affect national production and ensuring that combine harvesters are properly tested for efficiency can contribute to food security, especially as the world faces a food crisis due to disruptions in the trade of agrifood products due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, armed conflicts, and geopolitical tensions. Furthermore, a lack of safety features and safety precautions may result in machinery malfunction and danger to the operators.

The Asian and Pacific Network for Testing of Agricultural Machinery (ANTAM) is an initiative led by the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (CSAM) of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) that aims to harmonize testing standards for agricultural machinery in the Asia-Pacific region. This has the ultimate goal of facilitating trade but most importantly promotes the use of safe, efficient, and environmentally sound agricultural machinery in support of related Sustainable Development Goals. ANTAM standardized Test Codes and procedures are developed through harmonization of the existing Test Codes used by member countries and other international practices.

Building on the experience of ANTAM participating countries and partners, the webtraining will highlight the importance of the Combine Harvester testing for reducing food losses and improving occupational safety and precautions. National experiences, in particular for the development of testing codes to address national needs, and specific testing items for the verification of efficiency and safety features will be presented. The event will allow an initial overview of testing practices in view of the development of a harmonized standard for the testing of combine harvesters according to the needs of ANTAM participating countries

Register at https://forms.office.com/r/Xtm9kCAGr5