Analytical Study of the Optimum Plan for Cropping Pattern in Baghdad Governorate
Authors: Hamza Ithmar Mansour , H. Ali Eskander 
Published: May 2023

Purpose: The research aimed to reallocate the available economic resources and develop optimal economic plans that maximize net income, reduce costs, and maximize the net revenue of the water unit in Baghdad Governorate.

Theoretical framework: Using the linear programming model as the underpinning theoretical framework, this study discovered that the profit margin exceeds the current reality by approximately 67.5%. proposed plans reduced the total annual needs of water with the proposed plans compared to the actual plan, as the actual cropping pattern needs 463474646 m3. However, with the addition of legislative constraints, the proposed cropping pattern requires 262867570 m3, resulting in a 43.2% reduction in water use.

Design/methodology/approach: The method of linear programming in achieving the objective function. The research required two types of data: cross-sectional data collected from 104 farmers from the Baghdad governorate for the year 2020. Besides, the secondary data that collected from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources. Then, three optimal plans were estimated whose objective function was maximizing net income, minimizing costs, and maximizing net water unit, respectively. The study included 15 productive activities, 12 water constraints, four constraints for human work, and one for mechanized work during the year, where legislative and organizational constraints were also added.

Findings: The results of the optimal plan for the proposed cropping pattern indicated that the gross profit margin of the prevailing cropping pattern is 52.9 billion and in the plan without legislative constraints 138.2 billion. In comparison, it amounted to 88.8 billion with the presence of legislative constraints, which exceeds the profit margin in the current reality by about 67.5%. Besides that, one dunam will achieve a profit of 198.6, that is, an addition of 144.7 to the profit of a dunum in the current pattern. The actual cropping pattern needs 71412355 human labor hours, which is an average of 178 hours per acre, while drawing a plan for the proposed cropping pattern with the addition of legislative constraints, it needs 53473612 hours at a rate of 120.6 hours. As for the results of the proposed cropping pattern according to the function of maximizing the net revenue of the water unit, it indicated that the proposed cropping pattern, with the inclusion of these constraints, amounted to a net water revenue of about 362.9 thousand dinars. It is also rewarding and high and exceeds about 363% of the actual net revenue or about 284.6 thousand dinars. The proposed plans likewise reduced the total annual needs of water with the proposed plans compared to the actual plan, as the actual cropping pattern needs 463474646 m3. However, the proposed cropping pattern with the addition of legislative constraints needs 262867570 m3 meaning that it reduced water use by 43.2%.

Research, Practical & Social implications: This is very important due to the problem of water scarcity and its impact on the cropping pattern, that is, with this surplus quantity, it is possible to grow other crops and not be affected by the scarcity of water. Instead, the economic efficiency of water use amounted to 19.5%, and the inefficiency in the cropping pattern in terms of water revenue amounted to 80.5%.

Originality/value: This a rticle applied a scientific method applied for the first time in Baghdad Governorate / Iraq. Two types of data were used. and three programmatic goals.