Crop Choice Research Articles

Emergy-based evaluation of production efficiency and sustainability of diversified multi-cropping systems in the Yangtze River Basin

Excessive agricultural investment brought about by increased multiple-cropping index may compromise environmental sustainability. There are few studies on the sustainability of diversified multi-cropping systems in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB). Therefore, this study selected five representative locations in the YRB. According to the local climate characteristics and food demand, diversified multi-cropping systems were designed, and the main local winter crops were selected as the previous crops of the corn–soybean strip compound cropping system, with the local traditional double-cropping model as the control (CK). The emergy evaluation method was introduced to quantitatively compare the efficiency and sustainability of diversified multi-cropping systems in the YRB. The results showed that by incorporating soybean by intercropping with corn, compared with the CK, the total energy input, annual energy output, and annual economic output increased by 15.80%, 9.78%, and 33.12% on average, respectively. The unit emergy value (UEV) and unit non-renewable value (UNV) increased by 6.03% and 5.98%, respectively; the emergy yield ratio (EYR) and environmental loading ratio (ELR) decreased by 0.91% and 0.44%, respectively; the emergy sustainability index (ESI) was the same. In the third mature crop selection, compared with that of corn, the ELR of soybean decreased by 14.32%, and the ESI increased by 18.55%. In addition, the choice of winter crops plays a vital role in the system’s efficiency and sustainability. Compared with those of other winter crops, the annual economic outputs of potato (upper reaches of the YRB), potato or forage rape (middle reaches of the YRB), and wheat (lower reaches of the YRB) increased by 51.02%, 32.27%, and 0.94%, respectively; their ESI increased by 71.21%, 47.72%, and 12.07%, respectively. Potato–corn/soybean or potato/corn/soybean (upper reaches of the YRB), forage rape–corn/soybean or potato/corn/soybean (middle reaches of the YRB), and wheat–corn/soybean (lower reaches of the YRB) were chosen to facilitate the coexistence of high economic benefits and environmental sustainability. Additionally, promoting mechanization and reducing labor input were essential to improve the efficiency and sustainability of multi-cropping systems. This study would provide a scientific basis and theoretical support for the development of efficient and sustainable multiple-cropping systems in the dryland of the YRB.

Integrating agricultural land suitability and farmers' perception on crop selection in a water-stressed region of eastern India

CONTEXTThe choice of crops for cultivation should be ideally based on the appropriateness of a specific parcel of land for a particular crop. This is a multi-criteria problem associated with a host of natural conditioning variables including topography, climate and pedology. However, in a country like India, where agriculture is often traditional and subsistence-based, the farmers' choice of crop selection is usually influenced by numerous factors and therefore, may not be explained solely by the spatial variation in the agricultural land suitability. OBJECTIVEThis study is an attempt to understand the intricacies involved in the farmers' selection of crops by integrating the dual aspects of agricultural land suitability and the farmers' understanding of the land. The Kumari River Basin in eastern India has been selected for this study. This area is characterized by acute scarcity of water. METHODSThe basic methodology involved extracting systematic information on conditional factors such as topography, climate and soil. After normalizing different parameters by the Fuzzy Membership Function, a reiterative Principal Component Analysis modified Analytical Hierarchy Process was applied to these conditional rasters to derive an index of agricultural land suitability of the studied basin. Furthermore, the crop-specific suitability of paddy and maize was also considered by employing the Boolean Logic. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSIt is observed that the lower domain of the Kumari Basin is characterized by greater land suitability as compared to the upper and middle domains and the most important factors behind this distribution include slope, potential evapotranspiration and soil fertility. Crop-specific land suitability suggests that, by and large, the suitability of maize is greater than that of paddy in the basin, except for the lower domain where paddy is more suitable to cultivate. However, a study of the perception of the local farmers reveals that although they are aware of this fact, they prefer paddy over maize and are more inclined towards cultivating paddy. The chief reasons cited by them include the high demand for paddy in the area and the absence of a Minimum Support Price for maize. SIGNIFICANCEThis study is possibly an instance where the agricultural land suitability analysis has been substantiated by a field-based perception survey of the farmers which is expected to help in understanding the complexities of crop selection in this part of India.

When does group chat promote cooperation in shared resource governance?

When people use shared resources, overextraction can occur. While deliberation tends to mitigate shared resource exploitation problems, the question remains: under what conditions does group chat improve cooperation in shared resource dilemmas? This study analyzes chat and game data from about 1500 rounds of gameplay involving 143 groups across 4 resource types using Sentiment Analysis and Structural Topic Model. We find that, despite their fundamental differences, the 4 games tend to have similar discussions, including strategizing actions, coordinating choices, and socialization, but they differ in which topics explain cooperation within each game. Discussion topics promoting cooperation include coordination in the foraging game (FOR) and long-term goals in the groundwater game (GG). However, discussion topics negatively associated with cooperation include off-topic/socialization in FOR and the irrigation game (IRR) and crop choice affirmation in GG. We suggest that the context in which communication occurs matters, and biophysical characteristics, rules of the game, and levels of uncertainty explain some variations of our findings.

Impacts of winter crop choice and ewe body condition score change on whole farm profitability and production

Variations in body condition score (BCS) in ewes influences lamb survival, ewe survival and ewe lactation performance. Feeding a low protein diet such as fodder beet to ewes in mid-to-late pregnancy increases lamb losses and reduces lamb weaning weight even further. However, using high yielding forages such as fodder beet can reduce the area of winter crop required, introducing potential whole-farm benefits which may alter profitability. We analysed the effects of winter crop choice (brassica or fodder beet) and BCS (maintaining or reducing) on whole-farm production and profitability, using a targeted supplement to offset the impacts of fodder beet feeding. Eight farms were selected to represent low or high rainfall (590 and 1090 mm/annum respectively) regions of the South Island. Impacts of changing BCS on ewe and lamb survival at lambing, and lamb liveweight gain to weaning were calculated when fed either adequate (brassica) or low protein (fodder beet) diets in mid-to-late pregnancy. Production statistics and profitability were calculated using Farmax. Whole farm profitability was analysed using BCS change and winter forage crop as main treatments, blocked by low or high rainfall. Applying the effects of BCS and low protein diets on reproductive performance from prior published studies resulted in variation of 102 to 141 lambs weaned per 100 ewes mated, with the lowest value when the low protein, fodder beet only diet was used. Greatest number of lambs weaned was achieved when BCS was maintained through winter through provision of a balanced supplement, regardless of winter forage diet (P<0.05). Lamb sale dates were later when fodder beet was used, due to lower lamb weaning weights, resulting in marginally higher prices due to changes in pricing schedule. Farm profitability was increased by 25% when BCS was maintained though winter (P<0.05) irrespective of the diet used. Use of fodder beet must be accompanied by targeted supplementation to avoid ewe BCS loss increased lamb losses and the negative effects on wastage and animal welfare. Extra profitability could only be generated by opportunities to sell surplus feed during the summer. These responses were similar in both high and low rainfall environments. This study is unique in testing measured responses of BCS and targeted nutritional supplementation under specific physiological conditions on whole-farm profitability. Farmer decisions on feed utilisation and sale also have a significant influence on the potential to mitigate the effects of variations in winter forage choice.

Conflicts, crop choice, and agricultural investments: Empirical evidence from Nigeria

Conflict remains a major driver of poverty in Africa. Conflicts and political instability in the region have been increasing recently and are drawing more attention in public discourse. While it is widely acknowledged that conflicts disrupt agricultural production and food systems, the full extent of the damage inflicted on the lives and livelihoods of farming households and the mechanisms to redress this harm remain poorly understood. In particular, the link between violent conflicts and households’ land allocation and related agricultural investment decisions remains understudied. In this study, we use geocoded longitudinal data along with detailed agricultural panel household surveys in Nigeria to assess the impact of violent conflicts on crop choice decisions and related agricultural investments. Specifically, we explore how farmers’ land allocation and agricultural investment decisions relate or respond to the outbreak and intensity of violent conflicts. We find that violent conflicts are associated with a reduction in the share of both land area cultivated and area harvested. We also find suggestive evidence that violent conflicts may shape farmers’ crop choices and related investments, as violent conflicts are associated with reduction in the share of land allocated to long-term crops (e.g., perennial crops, trees, roots and tubers). Overall, our findings suggest that violent conflicts can negatively influence farmers’ agricultural investments directly by affecting both land utilization patterns and portfolio allocation across activities with varying returns to investments.

Resurgent diversity: upland agriculture, indigenous crops and foodways in Eastern Himalayas

ABSTRACT In this article, we are concerned with the cultivation of food crops – comparing trajectories of millets and buckwheat in Eastern Himalayas, and the circumstances under which farmers plant or forgo certain crops. Crop choices and how farmers cultivate their crops have far-reaching consequences for society, economy and the environment. With accelerating climate change, present global, corporate food regime based on a handful of genetically identical crops appears as a high-risk venture. For many Indigenous peoples alternatives to and negotiations with these regimes are commonly located in their traditions: the crops, foodways, and diversity-based agricultural systems of their ancestors even as a multitude of factors have conspired to their decline across the Eastern Himalayan Region. Yet, paradoxically, with climate change these crops, agriculture and knowledge systems seem to hold the future, especially for smallholder farmers.

Crop-specific management history of phosphorus fertilizer input (CMH-P) in the croplands of the United States: reconciliation of top-down and bottom-up data sources

Abstract. Understanding and assessing the spatiotemporal patterns in crop-specific phosphorus (P) fertilizer management are crucial for enhancing crop yield and mitigating environmental problems. The existing P fertilizer dataset, derived from sales data, depicts an average application rate over total cropland at the county level but overlooks cross-crop variations. Conversely, the survey-based dataset offers crop-specific application details at the state level yet lacks inter-state variability. By reconciling these two datasets, we developed long-term gridded maps to characterize crop-specific P fertilizer application rates, timing, and methods across the contiguous US at a resolution of 4 km × 4 km from 1850 to 2022. We found that P fertilizer application rate over fertilized areas in the US increased from 0.9 g P m−2 yr−1 in 1940 to 1.9 g P m−2 yr−1 in 2022, with substantial variations among crops. However, approximately 40 % of cropland nationwide has remained unfertilized in the recent decade. The hotspots for P fertilizer use have shifted from the southeastern and eastern US to the Midwest and the Great Plains over the past century, reflecting changes in cropland area, crop choices, and P fertilizer use across different crops. Pre-planting (fall and spring) and broadcast application are prevalent among corn, soybean, and cotton in the Midwest and the Southeast, indicating a high P loss risk in these regions. In contrast, wheat and barley in the Great Plains receive the most intensive P fertilization at planting and via non-broadcast application. The P fertilizer management dataset developed in this study can advance our comprehension of agricultural P budgets and facilitate the refinement of best P fertilizer management practices to optimize crop yield and to reduce P loss. Datasets are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10700821 (Cao et al., 2024).

Portfolio Agriculture: A Model for Resilient Regional Agricultural Planning

Food security is threatened by climate change worldwide; consequently, agriculture and farming livelihoods must adapt to new and unpredictable conditions. These conditions vary along spatial scales, and since agricultural yields are sensitive to microclimate conditions, a locally tailored data-driven approach may be helpful. Furthermore, limited agricultural resources like water and labor increasingly constrain food production. This research proposes a regional portfolio model for identifying crop choices and regional portfolio compositions that align with known and forecasted microclimate variation in temperature and humidity. The model will enable farmers to assess tradeoffs between the financial returns and agricultural production risks. The goal of this work is to provide new insights into agricultural planning in the face of climate risk and limited access to water and labor resources. Three steps are taken. Firstly, regional agricultural land is divided into farming subunits, with each representing a terroir characterized by temperature and humidity. Then a simulated yield coefficient is used to assess the effect of microclimate variables on the yield of the different crops in the portfolio of each subunit. Secondly, farming resource allocation, represented by water and labor, across crops and farming subunits is optimized to maximize the yield and associated financial return from farming across the agricultural region. Finally, a resilient agricultural planning model is developed based on the assumed data for regional microclimate and agricultural resources. The results of this research can be used by regional farmers as a reference for selecting crop portfolios and resource allocations to maximize overall profit.

Innovations through crop switching happen on the diverse margins of US agriculture

Crop switching, in which farmers grow a crop that is novel to a given field, can help agricultural systems adapt to changing environmental, cultural, and market forces. Yet while regional crop production trends receive significant attention, relatively little is known about the local-scale crop switching that underlies these macrotrends. We characterized local crop-switching patterns across the United States using the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Cropland Data Layer, an annual time series of high resolution (30 m pixel size) remote-sensed cropland data from 2008 to 2022. We found that at multiple spatial scales, crop switching was most common in sparsely cultivated landscapes and in landscapes with high crop diversity, whereas it was low in homogeneous, highly agricultural areas such as the Midwestern corn belt, suggesting a number of potential social and economic mechanisms influencing farmers' crop choices. Crop-switching rates were high overall, occurring on more than 6% of all US cropland in the average year. Applying a framework that classified crop switches based on their temporal novelty (crop introduction versus discontinuation), spatial novelty (locally divergent versus convergent switching), and categorical novelty (transformative versus incremental switching), we found distinct spatial patterns for these three novelty dimensions, indicating a dynamic and multifaceted set of cropping changes across US farms. Collectively, these results suggest that innovation through crop switching is playing out very differently in various parts of the country, with potentially significant implications for the resilience of agricultural systems to changes in climate and other systemic trends.

Adapting to climate change in arid agricultural systems: An optimization model for water-energy-food nexus sustainability

Sustainable management of water, energy, and food (WEF) under climate change will be a significant challenge for arid agricultural systems. This study developed a fractional non-linear multi-objective programming (FNLMOP) model to optimize resource allocation and improve agricultural sustainability in these systems under climate change. The model was designed in the framework of the WEF nexus to simultaneously improved energy productivity (profit/energy), and water productivity (profit/water), while mitigating environmental damage (damage to groundwater resources/output) and ensuring food security in an arid watershed in Iran. The long Ashton research station weather generator (LARS-WG) and the coupled model intercomparison project 6 (CMIP6) were employed to project climate parameters for both future dry and wet conditions. The sustainability of the optimal solutions was then assessed using a hybrid criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC)-VIKOR approach. The optimal solutions revealed a reduction in the land under cultivation and produced less water-intensive crops. The optimization model can ensure WEF security, enhancing agricultural system sustainability by optimizing crop cultivation patterns and resource allocation. Current crop choices were highly inefficient with the bigger changes being from the current crops to optimal crops. Climate change showed a substantial but lesser influence on optimal crop choice.

Do Runoff Water Harvesting Ponds Affect Farmers Cropping Choices? Insights from Smallholders in the West African Sahel

Do Runoff Water Harvesting Ponds Affect Farmers Cropping Choices? Insights from Smallholders in the West African Sahel

Major impacts of the US Renewable Fuel Standard on corn and soybean cultivation

AbstractWe use rich spatial data on observed crop choices and ethanol production to estimate the local impacts of ethanol plants and the overall impact of the 2007 US Renewable Fuel Standard (the RFS2) on crop patterns. We find that the RFS2 increased total corn area by 9.7%, corn monoculture by 16.8%, and soybean area by 6.7%, with notable spatial heterogeneity in both the overall impact and the local effects of ethanol plants. The results indicate an RFS2‐induced shift in the geography of corn and soybean cultivation within the Corn Belt—intensification in the core, and significant expansion near the periphery.

Exploring the impact of cover crops in integrated pest management: pest and natural enemies population dynamics in no-tillage cotton production.

Conservation agriculture plays an important role in the sustainability of production systems, notably for globally significant crops such as cotton. This study explores the integration of the no-tillage system (NTS) with integrated pest management (IPM) by incorporating cover crops. The aim is to assess the impact of these living or dead covers on the management of insect populations, the indices diversity of phytophagous insects and natural enemies, and to investigate the population fluctuation of these arthropods, considering a variety of crops in the NTS before and after cotton planting. The trial, conducted over two consecutive cropping seasons in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, employed a randomised block design with four repetitions. The treatments included cover crops with the highest potential for use in the region, such as millet (Pennisetum glaucum glaucum L.), corn (Zea mays L.), brachiaria (Urochloa ruziziensis), black velvet bean (Stizolobium aterrimum), forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), and white oats (Avena sativa L.) and a mix of white oats with brachiaria. The results indicated that the black velvet bean stands out as the most effective cover crop, providing the best performance in terms of non-preference to the attack of the evaluated pest insects. Conversely, brachiaria proves to be more susceptible to infestations of Dalbulus maidis (DeLong and Wolcott) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), and Diabrotica speciosa (Germar, 1824) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). The study underscores the relevance of the judicious choice of cover crops in IPM and in promoting agricultural biodiversity, creating a strategic tool to enhance the sustainability and efficiency of the cotton production system in the context of the NTS.

Health and functional advantages of cheese containing soy protein and soybean-derived casein.

The global food system faces a challenge of sustainably producing enough food, and especially protein, to meet the needs of a growing global population. In developed countries, approximately 2/3 of protein comes from animal sources and 1/3 from plants. For an assortment of reasons, dietary recommendations call for populations in these countries to replace some of their animal protein with plant protein. Because it is difficult to substantially change dietary habits, increasing plant protein may require the creation of novel foods that meet the nutritional, orosensory, and functional attributes consumers desire. In contrast to plant-based milks, plant-based cheeses have not been widely embraced by consumers. The existing plant-based cheeses do not satisfactorily mimic dairy cheese as plant proteins are unable to replicate the functional properties of casein, which plays such a key role in cheese. One possible solution to overcome current constraints that is currently being explored, is to produce hybrid products containing soy protein and soybean-derived casein. Producing soybean-derived casein is possible by utilizing traditional genetic engineering tools, like Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation, to express genes in soybeans that produce casein. If a cheese containing soy protein and soybean-derived casein satisfactorily mimics dairy, it presents an opportunity for increasing plant protein intake since US dairy cheese consumption has been steadily increasing. Soybeans are an excellent choice of crop for producing casein because soybeans are widely available and play a large role in the US and world food supply. Additionally, because a casein-producing soybean offers soybean farmers the opportunity to grow a value-added crop, expectations are that it will be welcomed by the agricultural community. Thus, there are benefits to both the consumer and farmer.

Archetypes of climate change adaptation among large-scale arable farmers in southern Romania

Effects of climate change and especially the associated climate variability require farmers to adjust to increasing frequencies of extreme events. In the agriculturally highly productive Romanian Plain, the frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwaves and drought have increased over the past 20 years. Although recent surveys revealed farmers’ awareness of climate change and enumerated a number of farm adaptation measures in the Romanian context, a systems approach to adaptation that allows conclusions on farm vulnerability and adaptive capacity is missing. Here, we use archetypal analysis to elucidate and characterize for the first time the types of adaptation responses of arable farmers in southern Romania. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 farmers managing 51,500 ha located across the southern lowlands of Romania, selected for their diversity of management approaches. Farmers were asked about experienced climatic disturbances, crop production losses during the most extreme events over the past 5–10 years, and the adaptation measures they implemented over that period of time. In addition, structural characteristics of the farm were recorded. The adaptation measures were classified and mapped on the efficiency, substitution, and redesign gradient used to classify sustainability stages. Results revealed three archetypes of adaptation, consisting of measures at field and farm level ranging from predominantly efficiency-enhancing ones (e.g., crop choice and management and risk insurance) to complete farm redesign involving agrotechnical and financial management changes. Structural farm characteristics did not explain differences between farms in their association with one of the archetypes. Our approach and results show for the first time both the need for strengthening farmer-level support in one of Europe’s key food production areas and the lessons that can be drawn from the outlier adaptation examples. Current European and national policies offer opportunities for farmer organizations in Romania to make these conclusions actionable.

Marginal land in China suitable for bioenergy crops under diverse socioeconomic and climate scenarios from 2020 to 2100

ABSTRACT Maximizing the development of renewable energy plays a critical role in mitigating the climate crisis. Marginal land provides space for the development of biomass energy; however, it remains unclear how the amount and spatial distribution of marginal land that is suitable for energy crop development will change in the future. Here, we project energy marginal land changes in China following the shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) and/or representative concentration path (RCP). We provide datasets of marginal land, agriculturally suitable land, and potentially suitable for energy crops under historical scenarios and six future scenarios (i.e. SSP1–1.9, SSP1–2.6, SSP4–3.4, SSP2–4.5, SSP4–6.0, and SSP3–7.0) for the period 2020–2100, with a spatial resolution of 5 km. Under the six scenarios, from 2020–2100, the area of suitable marginal land ranged from 1.90–16.28 (Jatropha curcas L.) to 37.37–73.97 (Panicum virgatum L.) (×104 km2), depending on the choice of energy crops and climate scenario. Based on the growing suitability of eight important bioenergy crops—Ricinus communis L., Saccharum officinarum L., Pistacia chinensis Bunge, Panicum virgatum L., Jatropha curcas L., Miscanthus giganteus J., Manihot esculenta Crantz, and Sorghum bicolor Moench—our dataset can be used to identify suitable locations for specific energy crops. This new synthetic dataset could support the development of multiscenario-based solutions related to carbon neutrality, ecosystem services, and energy transition.

Comparative analysis of diversification-marketing challenges faced by farmers in North India

This study delves into the dynamics of crop diversification, offers a comparative analysis, and explores the marketing challenges confronting farmers in northern India. Crop diversification has gained prominence as a sustainable agricultural practice necessitated by ecological concerns and market fluctuations. Drawing from a wide array of secondary sources, including government reports, academic literature, and agricultural data, this research investigates the evolution of crop diversification in different regions. We scrutinize the diversification trends in North India, highlighting the shifts in crop choices such as rice, wheat, pulses, and cash crops. In parallel, we address the multifaceted marketing challenges faced by farmers across these regions. This includes the influence of intermediaries, price volatility, logistical constraints, and quality compliance issues. We explore the varying impacts of government policies and schemes in alleviating these challenges. Furthermore, the research reveals that effective marketing solutions are pivotal for guaranteeing equitable returns for farmers diversifying their crops. The role of government interventions emerges as a critical factor in this context.

Exploring Crop Choices: Benefits, Challenges, and Rationale Among Rwandan Farmers

Farming decisions on crop choices are guided by different factors including natural conditions, household needs, traditions, stakeholder recommendations, and productivity. The best decision varies for each farmer based on specific circumstances. There are both benefits and challenges in farmers’ crop growing experience. In Rwanda, agriculture employs 70% of the population, contributing 33% to the GDP across three main agricultural seasons. However, food and nutritional insecurity remain pressing issue affecting both human and economic progress. This study explored the rationale, benefits, and challenges of farmers’ choices. This study used a qualitative descriptive approach, conducting six focus group discussions (FGDs) in each participating district. Each FGD comprised 10 participants, ensuring gender balance. Recruitment was facilitated by local community health workers (CHWs), with participants providing informed consent. Trained data collectors utilized voice recorders to collect the data. The researchers transcribed the data verbatim, anonymized the data, and translated the same data into English. Data analysis revealed four key themes: reasons for cultivation, factors influencing crop choice, farmers’ livelihoods, and farming challenges. Findings highlight the need for holistic and context-specific solutions in Rwandan agricultural development, emphasizing stakeholder collaboration to support informed decision-making and sustainable agriculture.

Saving farm subsidies with smart climate interventions: the case of transition to a millet-based agriculture

PurposeThe study attempts to estimate farm subsidies the governments can save by transitioning to a millet-based production system, replacing GHG emission-intensive crops.Design/methodology/approachIt updates a 131 × 131 commodity input–output (IO) table of the year 2015–16 into 2021–22 using the RAS procedure and simulates the economy-wide impacts of replacing rice and wheat with pearl millet and sorghum using consumption and production approaches. It then quantifies fertilizer, electricity and credit subsidy expenses the government can save through this intervention. It also estimates the potential reduction in GHG emissions that the transition could bring about. India is taken as a case.FindingsResults show pearl millet expansion brings greater benefits to the government. It is estimated that when households return to their pearl millet consumption rates that prevailed in the early-reform period, this could save the Indian government Rs. 622 crores (USD 75 m). The savings shall be reinvested in agriculture to finance climate adaptation/mitigation efforts, contributing to a sustainable food system. Net GHG emissions also decline by 3.3–3.6 MMT CO2e.Practical implicationsIndian government has been actively aiming to bring down paddy areas since 2013–14 through the Crop Diversification Program and promoting millets (and pulses and oilseeds) on these farms. The prime reason is to check rapidly declining groundwater irrigation in Green Revolution states. Regulations in the past in these states have not brought the intended results. Meanwhile, electricity and fertilizers are heavily subsidized for agriculture. A slight shift in the cropping system can help conserve these resources. Meanwhile, GHG emissions could also be brought down and subsidies could well be saved. The results of the study indicate the same.Social implicationsA less warm society is what governments and nongovernment organizations across the world are aiming for at present. Financial implications affect actions against climate change to a greater extent, apart from technological innovations. The effects of policy strategies discussed in the study, taking a large country as a case, when implemented appropriately around the regions, could help move a step closer to action against climate change.Originality/valueThe paper addresses a key but rarely explored research issue – that how a climate-sensitive crop choice will help reduce the government’s fiscal burden to finance climate adaption/mitigation. It also offers a mechanism to estimate the benefits within an economy-wide framework.

Cropping decisions under water stress: Evidence from Cauvery Delta Region, India

AbstractCropping decisions under resource constraints such as water stress have a significant influence on the livelihoods of farm households. Using survey data from 152 farm households in three villages of the paddy producing zone in the Cauvery Delta Region in India, we examine the factors that determine selection of paddy varieties and cotton. Our findings show that the marketability of specific paddy varieties, given inadequate public procurement, and groundwater use, driven by reduced surface water flows, influence crop choice. Farmers have modified their sowing practices and cropping patterns as a response to water stress and market signals. We conclude that to develop effective interventions to improve farm‐based livelihoods, it is important to look not just at climatic drivers of crop choice and farm level adjustments but the multiple stressors at different scales.