Open AccessOptimal selection of agricultural crops for sustainable farming in nutrient-rich Wadi areas of Saudi Arabia using MCDM
Author(s) -
Vineet Tirth,
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Ram Karan Singh,
Saiful Islam,
Ali Algahtani,
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Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
maǧallaẗ al-abḥāṯ al-handasiyyaẗ
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2307-1885
pISSN - 2307-1877
DOI - 10.36909/jer.8471
Subject(s) - multiple criteria decision analysis , agriculture , sustainability , business , good agricultural practice , sustainable agriculture , agricultural science , agricultural engineering , environmental science , mathematics , geography , engineering , food systems , food security , operations research , ecology , archaeology , biology
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Wheat, Barley, fruits, vegetables, and fodders are the most common agricultural products. Agricultural sustainability depends on socioeconomic and climatic conditions. Proper crop selection is vital to maximize productivity, yielding more revenue to the farmer at a lower cost. To rank the crop alternatives based on the available natural resources and cost, a multicriterion based decision-making model (MCDM) may be applied to identify the best suitable crop, encouraging sustainable agricultural practices. To make the agricultural activities sustainable, most of the critical criteria are taken into account. Four criteria linked to sustainability are included in this study. The research focuses on developing a model for sustainable agricultural practices in KSA employing MCDM. Three MCDM techniques were employed to evaluate the most suitable crop,and the results are compared and validated. The results from all three methods gave consistent results. Fruits emerged as the most productive crop, followed by Wheat, vegetables, fodders, and Barley. Such methodology shall be further extended across the other regions and over various crops for sustainable agricultural practices. The study is expected to help the Ministry of Water, Environment, and Agriculture, KSA, draft a suitable agricultural policy.