Dynamics of crop diversification in Andhra Pradesh: A District-Level Analysis

Abstract

Agriculture, a critical component of the state's economy, engages over 70% of its population and contributes significantly to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). Despite its importance, the sector faces challenges due to the predominance of small and marginal farmers, whose holdings are often unviable in both local and global markets. The study investigates the existing level of crop diversification across the districts. The data was collected from the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Government of Andhra Pradesh from 2013-14 to 2021-22, employing methods like Gibb’s and Martin’s, Herfindahl, Simpson's, and Entropy indices. The findings revealed significant variations in crop diversification levels across different districts of Andhra Pradesh. In the Kharif season, Kurnool and Prakasam districts show the highest crop diversification with index values of 0.8, while Srikakulam exhibits the lowest at 0.1. Moderate diversification levels are seen in Chittoor and Nellore. In the Rabi season, Kadapa, Kurnool, and Anantapur show the highest diversification with an index value of 0.9. Nellore has the lowest at 0.03, with moderate levels in Chittoor, Krishna, and West Godavari. Overall, Kurnool and Prakasam maintain high diversification levels across seasons.