**2. Concept of crop diversification**

Crop diversification, as opposed to specialized farming, can be defined as an attempt to promote crop diversity by crop rotation, multiple cropping, or intercropping, with the goal of improving productivity, sustainability, and supply of ecological systems [4–6]. It could be one step toward more sustainable production systems, value chains for minor crops [7], and socioeconomic benefits [8]. Enhanced agricultural diversity, better diverse crop rotations, mixed cropping [9, 10], cultivation of grain legumes in generally cereal-dominated systems [11], perennial leys or grassland [12], and regionally adapted varieties or variety combinations are all examples of agricultural diversification strategies. In developing countries, crop diversification is defined as the substitution of one or more agricultural products for another. Diversification in agriculture can be defined as the reinvestment of some farm productive resources, such as land, capital, farm equipment, and labour, into new enterprises [13]. A shift from less profitable cropping system to more profitable cropping system is also known as diversification. Diversification of agriculture, in general, refers to transitioning from a single crop's regional or temporal dominance to the production of a variety of crops in order to meet the ever-increasing need for cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fibers, fuel, and feed. Crop diversification is a demand-driven, need-based situation specific and national goal seeking dynamic and iterative concept that incorporates

*Crop Diversification an Effective Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture Development DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102635*

spatial, temporal, value addition, and resource-complementary techniques, as well as a move from traditional and less-remunerative crops (**Figure 1**).
