Determining an optimum pattern of mixed planting from organic and non-organic crops with regard to economic and environmental indicators: A case study of cucumber in Kerman, Iran

Today, planning procedures which are used in different fields of decision making such as determination of optimum planting patterns are considered as important management issues. The importance of optimum planting patterns is highlighted when we learn that agricultural measures may have environmental side effects. Most economical analyses only focus on increasing economic gains of the farmers without regard to its environmental consequences. Therefore, one can argue that efficient managers should consider multiple purposes that cover both economic and environmental goals at the same time. This study attempted to identify an optimum mixed model of organic and non-organic production systems using a combination of AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) approach and Weighted Goal Programming to consider environmental and economic indicators simultaneously. This procedure was employed in the current design to determine and compare an optimum pattern of mixed planting of organic and non-organic products. The study sample was cucumber, investigated in four farming systems: organic open field farming system, non-organic greenhouse farming system, non-organic tunnel farming system and open field non-organic farming system in Jiroft, Kerman, with regard to paper indices. Following the proposed MCDM (Multiple Criteria Decision Making) model, cucumber planting in open field non-organic farming system was replaced by open field organic farming system. Economic and environmental indicators rose by 11.97% and 21.40% respectively in MCDM proposed plan in comparison with the existing farm plan, which indicates the feasibility of MCDM proposed plan in terms of economic and environmental indicators.