Crop Combination Analysis in Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra

Ahmednagar district is one of the drought-prone districts of Maharashtra, receiving below 560 mm average annual rainfall with high spatio-temporal variability. Agriculture is dominant economic activity in district, 70 percent of the population is directly and indirectly dependent on agriculture but almost 73 percent of agriculture is rainfed. In the present research, an attempt has been made to investigate the crop combination applying Weaver?s method for 2011. The study reveals that Jamkhed tahsil has been recorded monoculture of Jowar. While six crop combinations were obtained at Akole, Sangamner, Rahata, Karjat and, Shrigonda, tahsils with crops Oilseeds, Bajara, Wheat, Maize, Vegetables, Cotton, Sugarcane, Fodder crops, and Pulses. The result reveals that rainfall distribution and better irrigation control the crop combination pattern in the Ahmednagar district. Crop combination techniques with integrations in GIS will support the researchers, regional planners in decision making, and agricultural regionalization-related planning processes.