Double cropping in paddy fields of northern Iran: Current trends and determinants of adoption

Double cropping is an essential strategy for increasing crop productivity, promoting employment, satisfying food demands, and enhancing sustainability of production. However, much of the evidence on which farmers double crop (and if so, how often) is anecdotal. Factors affecting the adoption of double cropping were explored in Rasht County of Guilan Province in northern Iran. Most farmers (58.3%) practiced double cropping with one crop (i.e., ratoon rice, vegetables or pulses). Leafy vegetables, such as coriander (Coriandrum sativum), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), spinach (Spinacia oleracea), and garden cress (Lepidium sativum) as well as root vegetables, such as garlic (Allium sativum), carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus), and radish (Raphanus sativus) were the most common vegetables. Cranberry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and faba bean (Vicia faba) were the most common pulses. Almost a third of the farmers (32.5%) practiced double cropping with a combination of two crops (i.e., ratoon rice plus vegetables or ratoon rice plus pulses). Adopters of double cropping had a more positive attitude for this cropping practice (as expressed by perceptions of high profitability and sufficient satisfaction of household food demands), higher levels of social participation (i.e., participation in cooperatives, associations, unions) and cooperation with other farmers, more use of communication tools (i.e., TV, radio, internet, magazines), and higher income from rice farming than the non-adopters. A logistic regression model with predictive ability 72.8% showed that farmers' attitude towards double cropping had the greatest role in the prediction of its acceptance followed by attendance of education courses and farming experience. The results are of practical significance for policy-makers who seek the best options for greater farm productivity and well-being in developing countries. Training courses and discussion meetings, particularly targeted to young farmers, as well as the establishment of cooperatives to foster social participation could motivate adoption of double cropping.