For small farmers, keeping production costs as low as possible isn’t just a financial strategy, it’s a survival tactic. With profit margins that are often as narrow as a furrow, every Rand conserved is a victory won – so innovations that save time and money are a massive plus. Husqvarna is passionate about land care and agriculture and their cost-effective multi-tasking marvel, the TF 545DE diesel tiller, is a powerhouse tool that provides small-scale or light agriculture farmers with an all-in-one solution for multiple farming tasks.
“Efficient and versatile, the TF 545DE tiller is the equivalent of a Swiss Army knife for subsistence farmers,” says Wynand Lombaard, Husqvarna South Africa’s Product and Pricing Specialist. “With a range of robust attachments, this powerful workhorse adapts to the various needs of small farms serving as a water pump, plough, sprayer and even a ditcher. It’s not just a tiller, it’s a cost-effective game-changer.”
Traditionally, farmers would require separate machines for these different tasks. However, the standout single-unit feature of the TF 545DE, the Power Take-Off (PTO), is a device that transfers the engine’s mechanical power to another machine and seamlessly transforms the tiller into various tools, totally eliminating the need for multiple – and often costly – pieces of equipment.
Lombaard explains the various TF 545DE tiller’s attachments:
1. Tiller
The TF 545DE is first and foremost a motorised tiller, simplifying the job of preparing a field for sowing. Designed for breaking up hard ground, Husqvarna tillers are designed for durability and strength, a perfect match for South Africa’s densely packed earth and grasslands. Tilling ensures that the soil is aerated, and improves drainage and soil quality, allowing for efficient planting.
2. Water Pump
With the TF 545DE, there’s no need to transport or maintain a separate water pump. Simply attach the unit’s specially designed pump, place the tiller next to a water source and effortlessly, pump water. This is particularly useful for irrigation straight after tilling or planting, ensuring that your crops receive the required amount of water for optimal growth.
3. Sprayer
The handy sprayer attachment makes light work of spraying pesticides and fertilisers. Not only are you maximising your resource utilisation, but this feature promotes healthier crops, and enhances the efficiency of crop management – all while minimising the need for purchasing additional equipment.
4. Plough
There’s no need for a heavy-duty tractor when you’ve got a TF 545DE tiller. With the addition of a plough kit, with its rubber wheels and weights, the tiller can also be used for cutting, lifting and turning even hardpan or compacted soil. This attachment ensures that you are working the soil at a deeper level, allowing farmers to invert the soil layers and bury organic matter. The machine’s robust design ensures effective soil preparation for planting, contributing to higher yields.
5. Ditcher
The ditcher is another invaluable attachment that can be connected to the TF 545DE. Perfect for a variety of agricultural applications such as excavating trenches to install irrigation or drainage systems and even to contour land to optimise water flow. No need for manual digging which is both time-consuming and labour intensive.
Real-World Impact
By consolidating various essential functions into one piece of equipment, Lombaard says that the multi-functional TF 545DE diesel tiller has practical, tangible benefits for small-scale farmers. Not only does it reduce the amount of equipment needed, but it saves on long-term maintenance costs and storage space too.
“At Husqvarna, we believe in empowering farmers with tools that make farming easier. The TF 545DE is not just a tiller; it’s a comprehensive solution that brings efficiency, cost-effectiveness and flexibility to the forefront of light agriculture.”
For more information on the TF 545DE diesel tiller and its various attachments or to view Husqvarna’s range of products, visit https://www.husqvarna.com/za/
