Crop Diversification: Contribution to Agricultural Growth in Eastern and Bundelkhand Regions of Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

Agricultural diversification towards high-value crops can potenti al ly i ncrease farm i ncomes, especi al ly i n regionswhere demand for high-value food products has been increasing more quickly than that for staple crops. Farming community of Uttar Pradesh is dominated by small and marginal farmers, and researchers have long debated the ability of a small and marginal holder dominated subsistence farm economy to diversify into riskier high value crops. Agriculture diversification recommended as effective strategy for improving incomes, generating employment round a year, stabilizing the flow of income over the season and conservation and augmentation of natural resources. The aim of study was to understand the nature of crop diversification and the contribution of area, yield, price and diversification in gross crop income or agricultural growth in Uttar Pradesh. The results showed that the variations in crop diversification was found across crops as well as regions of state and crop sector has been diversifying towards high-value crops albeit slowly. The temporal changes in the cropping pattern in both Eastern and Bundelkhand regions bring out the process of crop diversification towards cash crops (sugarcane, potato, onion and tobacco). The decomposition analysis of gross cropped income revealed that the price effect on gross income was found stronger than yield effect in both the regions of the state.