Determinants of Crop Diversification Decision and Crop Intensity among Vegetable Farmers

Abstract

This study aims to recognize the factors influencing the decision to diversify the crops and attempts to identify the determinants influencing the decision to diversify the crops and the determinants of crop intensity in diversification among vegetable farmers in Kotagala during 2020. The study adopts Heckman’s two-stage selection model to identify the determinants of crop diversification decisions and the number of crops grown by the vegetable farmers separately. Further, Cragg’s double hurdle model was also applied to distinguish the factors influencing the crop diversification decision and the determinants of crop intensity among the farmers in the study. Results of the Heckman selection two-stage model found that education, land size and market distance were found to have more probability of engaging in crop diversification. In contrast, gender, farm experience, land size and market distance were the significant factors in determining the number of crops grown by the diversifiers. outcomes from Cragg’s double hurdle model showed that education and land size are the primary determinants in crop diversification. In contrast, age, land size and market distance are the crucial factors influencing the intensity of crop diversification in the study. Therefore, the government and policymakers should consider the policies focusing on education, land and market facilities as their major strategies to increase the engagement in crop diversification and crop diversity, which in turn will increase the earnings in the economy.