Abstract

The objectives of this study were to describe the mixed farming system under small holders in High Dam area of Aswan, Egypt and to investigate different scenarios for improving their economic return. Three villages were studied (Bashier Alkhir, Klabsha and Tomas We Afia). Data on 92 holders were used (19, 41 and 32 holders from the three studies villages, respectively) in year 2012. A linear programming (LP) model with four scenarios were tested to maximize economic return described as gross margin (GM), the first (base run (LP1)) assumes free choice among all studied variables of crops and animals. While, the second scenario (LP2) had a constraint on cropping pattern to meet farmer’s needs of basic food and feed crops and assuming free choice of number of each different animal types (cattle, sheep and goat). The third scenario (LP3) assumed free choice of cropping pattern and had a constraint to the number of each studied animal type. The fourth scenario (LP4) had the cultivated area distributed equally on different crops and had a constraint to the number of each animal types. Results revealed that, in order that holders get the maximum GM, the output of LP1 suggests that, they should cultivate all their farm area with alfalfa in all villages in winter. While in summer, they should cultivate beans feeds, in Bashier Alkhir and Tomas We Afia. Also, they should keep 5.7, 10.5 and 7.9 head of cattle in Bashier Alkhir, Klabsha and Tomas We Afia, respectively. While, compared to actual situation, GM was changed by about 2.1% to 34.1% in LP1; -28% to 24.6% in LP2 and 0.5% to 29.3% in LP3 and -29.9% to 18.2% in LP4 in different villages. As compared to LP1, GM in LP2, LP3 and LP4 decreased by about 12.7 to 29.7%, 1.7% to 6.8% and 7.2% to 31.4%, respectively. It was concluded that linear programming model with the four scenarios showed that holders should cultivate Alfalfa. Also, the model showed that cattle followed by sheep are more profitable than goat within the crop-livestock production system in High-Dam area in Aswan, Egypt. GM in Klabsha was more negative affected by modification done on LP model than Bashier Alkhir and Tomas We Afia within each studied scenarios. Land, animal type and available amount of cash resources are limiting constrains but not labor.