Factors influencing crop diversification as a tool to twofold farmers’ earnings in Uttarakhand

Crop diversification is an important strategy for overall agriculture development in the country. The present study was an attempt to identify the factors affecting crop diversification in Uttarakhand state of India. The present study is based on primary data. Multistage stratified random sampling technique was followed to select 45 farmers from hill region and 30 farmers from plain region. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the factor affecting crop diversification. The major factors responsible for the change in crop diversification were fertilizer consumption, gross irrigated area, road length, mechanization and certified seeds, at districts, divisions and state level. In case of farm households age of household head, size of farm households, distance to market, off-farm/non-farm income and fertilizer which effects the crop diversification. The creation of basic infrastructural facilities is an essential prerequisite for crop diversification and fostering the process of agricultural development.