How can a small farmer afford machines to reduce labour without buying them?

You do not need to own machines to get the benefit, you need access. The main routes for small farmers are: custom hiring centres (CHCs), often run by cooperatives, FPOs or entrepreneurs with government support, where you rent machines by the hour or acre; farm machinery banks set up under government schemes; renting from larger farmers or local machine owners in your village; and through your FPO or self help group which can buy shared equipment on subsidy for members. App based machine rental services also operate in some areas now. Renting is usually cheaper than owning for small holdings because the machine cost is spread across many users. Start with the operation that costs you the most in labour or where delay hurts most, and rent that first. Ask your block agriculture office about the nearest custom hiring centre and any machinery subsidy your group can apply for.