Title: Multi-criteria governmental crop planning problem based on an integrated AHP-PROMETHEE approach

Authors: Salah R. Agha; Latifa G. Nofal; Hana A. Nassar

Addresses: Industrial Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University-Gaza, P. O. Box 108, Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Authority. ' Industrial Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University-Gaza, P. O. Box 108, Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Authority. ' Industrial Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University-Gaza, P. O. Box 108, Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestinian Authority

Abstract: The study uses analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and preference ranking organisation method for enrichment evaluations (PROMETHEE) to deal with the crop planning problem as a multi-criteria decision-making problem, for governmental lands in Gaza Strip under two conditions: the normal economy condition and the resistant economy condition. These two conditions are studied from the governmental point of view. The study goal is to rank crops according to some considered criteria. Crops are divided into eight types that include vegetables, fruits, citrus, olives, palms, export crops, field crops and medical and aromatic crops. The developed AHP and PROMETHEE compare crops with respect to seven main criteria, namely; economical, financial, marketing, environmental, technical, political and social criteria. AHP is used to obtain criteria weights to be used as input for PROMETHEE to outrank alternatives. The results indicate that in resistant economy condition, field crops, olives and palms are the most important crops, while in normal economy condition, vegetables, citrus and export crops are the most important crops.

Keywords: governmental lands; crop planning; multicriteria decision making; MCDM; analytical hierarchy process; AHP; preference ranking; PROMETHEE; outrank; resistant economy; Gaza Strip; crop importance; vegetables; fruits; citrus; olives; palms; export crops; field crops; medical crops; aromatic crops; normal economy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAMS.2012.049926

International Journal of Applied Management Science, 2012 Vol.4 No.4, pp.385 - 406

Published online: 16 Aug 2014 *

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