Cropping Pattern and Crop Diversification in Kerala, India – A Spatio-temporal Analysis

The assessment of shift in cropping pattern is crucial for a good insight into the agricultural development of a region. The present study focused on the changes in the cropping pattern and the extent of crop diversification in Kerala, India. The results of the study revealed that the share of food crops to the gross cropped area substantially declined from 56.85% in TE 1987–88 to 40.73% in TE 2019–20, whereas the share of non-food crops increased remarkably from 43.14% in TE 1987–88 to 59.29% in TE 2019–20. The extent of crop diversifi­cation was higher in Idukki district, while crop speciali­zation was prominent in Kozhikode district. Labour unavailability, high labour wage rates and climate varia­bility were identified as the major constraints faced by the respondents in the study areas