Differentiate between the cropping pattern and cropping system. Examine the key factors that affect Cropping patterns.

Hint: Cropping pattern refers to the yearly sequence and spatial arrangement of crops and fallow on a given area. Cropping system refers to cropping pattern used on a farm and its interactions with farm resources, other farm enterprises, and available technology which determine their makeup.
Thus a cropping system comprises cropping pattern plus all components required for the production of a particular crop and the interrelationships between them and environment.
Factors affecting cropping patterns:
There are several factors that affect the cropping patterns such as Agro climatic factors e.g. geo-climatic parameters such as terrain, topography, slope, soils etc.; and Socio –economic and political factors e.g. land ownership and use, size and types of land holding, labor and capital availability etc.