Determine the Optimal Cropping Pattern Due to Llimited Groundwater Resources in Kavar Plain

Due to limitation of available water and soil resources on the one hand, and the Iranian goal of selfsufficiency in irrigation and agricultural products on the other hand, the challenge of optimizing the utilization of these resources has become more significant, One of the economic solutions to the issue is to plan to achieve the most optimum level of water use along with optimizing farming activities. The present study –aimed at determining the optimal cropping pattern and the optimal level of water consumption in the Kavar plain of Fars. Using time series data for price and yield of agricultural products between 1999-2009 as well as the data set collected from a questionnaire, the mathematical programming models were applied. The results show that the goal of maximizing profit makes a higher profit, ,compared to the goal of maximizing utility, however the former goal consumes more water. Furthermore, water consumption and the characteristic of risk averse are inversely related, and as a result, risk adverse farmers do not use all of their water resources.

Keywords:

Crop pattern , Groundwater , Mathematical programming , Kavar plain