Determining the pattern of crop agriculture as a strategy to reduce food security disaster in the country

The selection of cropping patterns is one of the main factors in increasing agricultural productivity. Optimal allocation of land and determination of suitable crop production in each region to prevent unwarranted consumption of inputs and reduce the disaster of lack of food supply after scientific study of factors affecting cropping pattern and taking into account different indices. Therefore, the present study determines the factors affecting the cropping pattern and their prioritization. This research was conducted in Silakhor agricultural area in Dorud Lorestan. The research method used in this study was a library, skillful interviews, and inspection (collecting questionnaires from farmers). The variables affecting the cropping pattern were extracted using exploratory factor analysis and then Shannon entropy-based TOPSIS method was used to prioritize crop cultivation. Factor analysis results indicated that the variables affecting sustainable crop pattern selection in the region can be classified into six factors, mechanization-farming, soil and climate, macro-government management, production support, social and production margin. These factors explained 61.41% of the variance of the effective variables in selecting the cropping pattern. Also, in the four-criterion entropy method, Access to cash capital of cultivation needed (0.236), Crop water requirement (0.233), crop profit (0.098), and cultivation area more than 1 ha (0.039). They had the highest priority in choosing the pattern of cultivation. Finally, the results of TOPSIS Multi-Criteria Decision Making showed that autumn sugar beet (0.598), Wheat (0.589), Barley (0.558), Canola (0.556), autumn peas (0.515). ), Rice (0.499), Quinoa (0.471), and saffron (0.390), respectively, have the highest priority for being included in the region's cultivation pattern.