Crop selection is one of the most important decisions you need to make as a farmer. It is influenced by many factors that we will describe in this article. During this decision making process, farmers cross check the suitability of proposed crop/cropping systems with their existing resources and other conditions. Thereby, they justify choosing or rejecting a crop/cropping systems. This process enables the farmers to undertake a SWOT analysis internally which in turn guides them to take an appropriate decision.
Climatic factors –
- Is the crop/cropping system suitable for local weather parameters such as temperature, rainfall, sun shine hours, relative humidity, wind velocity, wind direction, seasons and agro-ecological situations?
Soil conditions
- Is the crop/cropping system suitable for local soil type, pH and soil fertility?
Water
- Do you have adequate water source like a tanks, wells, dams, etc.?
- Do you receive adequate rainfall?
- Is the distribution of rainfall suitable to grow identified crops?
- Is the water quality suitable?
- Is electricity available for lifting the water?
- Do you have pump sets, micro irrigation systems?
Cropping system options
- Do you have the opportunity to go for inter-cropping, mixed cropping, multistoried cropping, relay cropping, crop rotation, etc.?
- Do you have the knowledge on cropping systems management?
- Past and present experiences of farmers
- What were your previous experiences with regard to the crop/cropping systems that you are planning to choose?
- What is the opinion of your friends, relatives and neighbours on proposed crop/cropping systems?
Expected profit and risk
- How much profit are you expecting from the proposed crop/cropping system?
- Whether this profit is better than the existing crop/cropping system?
- What are the risks you are anticipating in the proposed crop/cropping system?
- Do you have the solution?
- Can you manage the risks?
- Is it worth to take the risks for anticipated profits?
Economic conditions of farmers including land holding
- Are the proposed crop/cropping systems suitable for your size of land holding?
- Are your financial resources adequate to manage the proposed crop/cropping system?
- If not, can you mobilize financial resources through alternative routes?
Labour availability and mechanization potential
- Can you manage the proposed crop/cropping system through your family labour?
- If not, do you have adequate labours to manage the same?
- Is family/hired labour equipped to handle the proposed crop/cropping system?
- Are there any mechanization options to substitute the labour?
- Is machinery available? Affordable? Cost effective?
- Is family/hired labour equipped to handle the machinery?
- Technology availability and suitability
- Is the proposed crop/cropping system suitable?
- Do you have technologies for the proposed crop/cropping system?
- Do you have extension access to get the technologies?
- Are technologies economically feasible and technically viable?
- Are technologies complex or user-friendly?
Market demand and availability of market infrastructure
- Are the crops proposed in market demand?
- Do you have market infrastructure to sell your produce?
- Do you have organized marketing system to reduce the intermediaries?
- Do you have answers for questions such as where to sell? When to sell? Whom to sell to? What form to sell in? What price to sell for?
- Do you get real time market information and market intelligence on proposed crops?
Policies and schemes
- Do Government policies favour your crops?
- Is there any existing scheme which incentivises your crop?
- Are you eligible to avail those benefits?
Public and private extension influence
- Do you have access to Agricultural Extension services functionaries to get advisory?
- Do you know your local extension office?
- Do you have access to Colleges, Agricultural Universities and organizations?
- Do you subscribe agricultural magazines?
- Do you read agricultural articles in newspapers?
- Do you get any support from input dealers, Agribusiness Companies, NGOs, Agriclinics and MOA?
Availability of required agricultural inputs including agricultural credit
- Do you get adequate agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and implements in time?
- Do you have access to institutional credit?
Post harvest storage and processing technologies
- Do you have your own storage facility?
- If not, do you have access to such facility?
- Do you have access to primary processing facility?
- Do you know technologies for value addition of your crop?
- Do you have market linkage for value added products?
- Are you aware about required quality standards of value added products of proposed crops?
This article first appeared on Agribusiness Magazine. Like their Facebook Page for more tips
