Spatial Variation in the Level of Agricultural Development in Districts of Western Development Region, Nepal

Abstract

In the present paper an attempt has been made to assess the spatial variation in the level of agriculture development in the Western Development Region of Nepal. Nine variables are used in determining the level of agricultural development. Those are net sown area, cropping intensity, crops productivity, irrigated area, use of High Yield Variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilizer (NPK) consumption, agricultural implements, agricultural labours and support from commercial and development banks. Besides, districts are classified as their respective categories viz. high, medium and low on the basis of scores (like mean and SD) of these variables. These analyses have been carried out by transforming and combining the data related to nine variables, using ‘Z’ score to get the composite ‘Z’ score. On the basis of composite score, developments of districts have been again categorized into three categories i.e. high, medium and low. On an aggregate four districts range their composite Z-score value above 0.1, are highly developed districts, six districts fall under medium category (value ranged from -0.25 to 0.1) and remaining six districts lie under low category having their composite Z-score below -0.25.

 The Third Pole: Journal of Geography

Vol. 17: 59-72, 2017