Reviewing the Effects of Guaranteed and Purchasing Price Policies on Cultivation Pattern of Agronomic Crops in Qazvin Plain, Iran

peer reviewedThe effects of the guaranteed and purchasing price policy on agronomic crop cultivation patterns were investigated under three scenarios in the Qazvin plain of Iran. In all scenarios, the surface under cultivation of water-saving products, especially wheat, decreased and on the contrary, the surface under cultivation of water-taking products, such as alfalfa and tomato, increased. The average income of farmers in the region increases under all scenarios; the lowest increase is related to the second scenario in which farmers’ income rises by 7.5–7.7%, and the highest increase is related to the third scenario in which farmers’ income rises by 8.5%

Water shortage and optimal pattern of field cropping cultivation: Addressing economic and environmental concerns in Qazvin Plain, Iran

peer reviewedIran is currently suffering from a severe water shortage. Frequent droughts, along with over-abstraction of surface and groundwater, have pushed the country's water situation to crisis levels. To deal with this issue, changing the cultivation pattern has been suggested. The planners stated that other environmental objectives would be achieved by implementing changes to the cultivation pattern along with reducing water consumption. Concerning this issue, the present study aimed to identify the optimal water-saving cultivation pattern in the field cropping's subsector in Qazvin province. This province is particularly important in the production of field cropping, which has caused the groundwater level to drop. Therefore, 246 farmers were selected using a simple two-stage random sampling method, and the information was collected in 2019. According to the experts' ideas, a 15% increase in gross profit, a 10% decrease in agricultural water consumption, job stability, and a 15% decrease in chemical fertilizers and pesticides were considered the optimal goals. The findings showed that through the optimal allocation of the inputs to Low Water-Demand (LWD) and High Water-Demand (HWD) crops, the farmers could not only save water and different types of fertilizers and pesticides but also achieve their objectives in terms of their desired profit. Therefore, designing a system of allocation and distribution, establishing a standardization system, and monitoring and controlling farmers' behavior concerning the use of inputs can achieve the goal concerning farmers' income and goals for protecting water resources and the environment