Title: Crop structure optimisation for maximising yield within environmental constraints in a rural area

Authors: Konstantinos Fytilis; Achilleas Kontogeorgos; Anastasios Michailidis; Anastasios Semos

Addresses: Department of Agricultural Economics, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; Institute of Marine Biological Recourses and Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 46.7 km Athens-Sounio Av., Anavyssos 19013, Attica, Greece ' Department of Agriculture, International Hellenic University, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece ' Department of Agricultural Economics, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece ' Department of Agricultural Economics, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract: In the agricultural sector, there are ways in which the productive structure of farms can be greatly adapted to reduce the risk and overexploitation of available resources to increase crop yields. This study uses the linear programming method to optimise crop yields, investigating whether, after the application of the econometric (static) model, crop yield has increased or not. The sub-basin of the Sperchios River with the code GR1827 is used as a case study to investigate the economic activity and the optimisation of its profit with the linear programming method. Excel's solver tool was used to overcome the research question as it solves linear problems. The constraints that have been taken into account have helped to make the crops' distribution with respect for the environment and proper management of available resources. Cross-data were used to give the best possible results.

Keywords: linear programming; simplex method; management agriculture; crops distribution; environmental constraints; solver; Excel; Sperchios River basin; Sperchios sub-basin; static model.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSAMI.2022.124579

International Journal of Sustainable Agricultural Management and Informatics, 2022 Vol.8 No.2, pp.200 - 217

Received: 12 Jan 2022
Accepted: 21 Apr 2022
Published online: 28 Jul 2022 *

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