Status of crop diversification in Uttar Pradesh: Evidence from primary data

Abstract

Crop Diversification is more remunerative and high valued crops has been reckoned as an important strategy to increase the income and employment opportunities of the farmers in the state of Uttar Pradesh. In view of this, the present paper aims to explain the crop diversification in Uttar Pradesh on the basis of primary data collected from all 9 Agro-Climatic Zones on a sample basis. Data mainly used for this paper were collected during the years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12. On the basis of primary data, crop diversification explained with regard to trends in the area of crops diversified during the above period, the significance of crop area diversified measured through F test and HHI and also analyzed the data in each agro-climatic zone. Further the data corroborated while explaining the productivity trends and agriculture income of the farmers in each agro-climatic zone due to crop diversification. Hence, crop diversification is a must for the growth of incomes of the farmers among all size categories in all the agro-climatic zones. The trends are significant from the crop area, production and agricultural income point of view.