Factors affecting crop diversification

Diversification is introduction of alternate crops, may give good scope to break the monotony of the traditional system of cultivation. Crop diversification provides better conditions for food security and enables farmers to grow surplus products for sale at market and thus help to obtain increased income to meet other needs related to household well-being. The present study was an attempt to identify the factors affecting crop diversification in Junagadh district of Saurashtra region. The present study is based on primary data and multistage stratified random sampling technique was followed to select 120 respondents spread over six villages of three talukas of Junagadh district. The major factors responsible for the change in crop diversification were family size, size of landholding, income of the family, distance to market and education level of the farmer were found significant. Whereas, age of the farmer and experience in farming was found non-significant. This study also found that the key socio-economic variables such as the age of the farmer, family size, size of landholding, income of the family, education level of the farmer and experience in farming were shown positive influence on the crop diversification in the study area. Distance to market was negatively influenced the diversification in crop.