Evaluating the Sustainability and Comparison of Wheat and Maize Agroecosystems (Case Study: Sanjabi Region, Kermanshah Province)

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the evaluation the sustainability of the wheat and maize agroecosystems in Sanjabi area in Kermanshah province in the period from 2014 to 2016. The study carried out as survey method and research tool was questionnaires. The questionnaires were developed based on Likert scale as closed and multiple choice questions that filled by interview. Sample amount were 56 and 92 for wheat and maize farmers respectively based on the target community and Cochran formula. The results showed that the wheat and maize agroecosystems were better in environmental and economic indices significantly. However there was no significant difference between agroecosystems in social factors. The results showed that only 4.4 and 8.1 percent of wheat and maize farms were managed as sustainable. In general, the relative advantages of maize farms in economic indices compare to wheat farms resulted in forget the environmental hazards of maize cultivation. However, the maize economic sustainability reduces strongly if water productivity is considered. Finally, non chemical methods of weed management and pest control may result in higher sustainability in maize and wheat agroecosytems respectively.