ABSTRACT
Decisions made by the household ultimately determine the foundations for crop diversity at all levels of aggregation. A survey of households in three wheat-producing provinces (Shandong, Shanxi, and Gansu) in China provides the basis for an analysis of the factors determining diversity at the household level. Three definitions of diversity for named varieties are tested in the analysis. The results show that household characteristics such as farmer age and education do not have a significant effect on diversity, but that the household’s ability to bear risk is significant. Household consumption patterns, its degree of commercialization, characteristics related to household land, and the supply of available varieties all play a significant role in determining household diversity. The analysis provides a solid basis for determining policies that will affect diversity at the household level.
