Multiattribute evaluation of organic and inorganic agricultural food investments using fuzzy TOPSIS
Abstract
Since people well know the threats of inorganic agriculture to their health, they are more interested in organic agriculture than ever. Organic agriculture is expected to play a major role for a healthy world in the future whereas inorganic agriculture nowadays increases the volume of agricultural production and presents lower priced foods but causes health problems. The agricultural investments are generally evaluated by using linguistic terms since most of the evaluation criteria are intangible and inherently require imprecise data to be used. In this paper, we analyze six types of agricultural investment alternatives using eight different criteria based on linguistic data. One of the most-used multi-criteria decision-making methods, TOPSIS is used under fuzziness for the solution of this problem. A sensitivity analysis is also given to examine the robustness of the decision.
Keyword : multiattribute, organic food, inorganic food, investment, fuzzy set, TOPSIS
How to Cite
Suder, A., & Kahraman, C. (2018). Multiattribute evaluation of organic and inorganic agricultural food investments using fuzzy TOPSIS. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 24(3), 844-858. https://doi.org/10.3846/20294913.2016.1216905
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
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Parris, K. 2004. Lessons from the OECD workshop on biomass and agriculture, greenhouse gas emissions and abrupt climate change: positive options and robust policy, in OECD-OCDE Conference, 30 September–1 October 2004, Paris, France.
Roshandel, J.; Miri-Nargesi, S. S.; Hatami-Shirkouhi, L. 2013. Evaluating and selecting the supplier in detergent production industry using hierarchical fuzzy TOPSIS, Applied Mathematical Modelling 37(24): 10170–10181. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apm.2013.05.043
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Rozman, C.; Pazek, K.; Bavec, F.; Bavec, M.; Turk, J.; Majkovic, D. 2006. A multi-criteria analysis of spelt food processing alternatives on small organic farms, Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 28(2): 159–179. . https://doi.org/10.1300/J064v28n02_12
Siciliano, G. 2009. Social multicriteria evaluation of farming practices in the presence of soil degradation. A case study in Southern Tuscany, Italy, Environment, Development and Sustainability 11(6): 1107–1133. . https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-008-9169-9
Sun, C.-C. 2010. A performance evaluation model by integrating fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS methods, Expert Systems with Applications 37: 7745–7754. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2010.04.066
Taylan, O.; Bafail, A. O.; Abdulaal, R. M. S.; Kabli, M. R. 2014. Construction projects selection and risk assessment by fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS methodologies, Applied Soft Computing 17: 105–116. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asoc.2014.01.003
Yoon, K. P.; Hwang, C.-L. 1995. Multiple attribute decision making: an introduction. SAGE Publications, no: 104.
Chen, C.-T. 2000. Extensions of the TOPSIS for group decision-making under fuzzy environment, Fuzzy Sets and Systems 114: 1–9. . https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-0114(97)00377-1
Chen, S.-M.; Lee, L.-W. 2010. Fuzzy multiple attributes group decision-making based on the interval type-2 TOPSIS method, Expert Systems with Applications 37: 2790–2798. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2009.09.012
Ekmekçioğlu, M.; Kaya, T.; Kahraman, C. 2010. Fuzzy multicriteria disposal method and site selection for municipal solid waste, Waste Management 30: 1729–1736. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2010.02.031
FAO. org. 2015. Organic agriculture [online], [cited 14 September 2015]. Available from Internet: . http://www.fao.org/organicag/oa-faq/oa-faq6/en/
Girardin, P.; Bockstaller, C.; der Werf, H. V. 2000. Assessment of potential impacts of agricultural practices on the environment: the AGRO*ECO method, Environmental Impact Assessment Review 20(2): 227–239. . https://doi.org/10.1016/S0195-9255(99)00036-0
Givens, D. I.; Baxter, S.; Minihane, A. M.; Shaw, E. (Eds.). 2008. Health benefits of organic food: effects of the environment. CAB International.
Hayashi, K. 2000. Multi-criteria analysis for agricultural resource management: a critical survey and future perspectives, European Journal of Operational Research 122: 486–500. . https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-2217(99)00249-0
Hwang, C. L.; Yoon, K. 1981. Multiple attribute decision making: methods and applications. Springer-Verlag, New York. . https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-48318-9
Kahraman, C.; Suder, A.; Cebi, S. 2013. Fuzzy multi-criteria and multi-experts evaluation of government investments in higher education: the case of Turkey, Technological and Economic Development of Economy 19(4): 549–569. . https://doi.org/10.3846/20294913.2013.837110
Kannan, D.; Jabbour, A. B. L. S.; Jabbour, C. J. C. 2014. Selecting green suppliers based on GSCM practices: using fuzzy TOPSIS applied to a Brazilian electronics company, European Journal of Operational Research 233(2): 432–447. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2013.07.023
Kastberg, P. 2015. Promoting communication, participation, and learning with regard to organic food products: a communication theoretical approach, Ecology and Society 20(1), article number 3. . https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-07139-200103
Kaya, T.; Kahraman, C. 2011. Multicriteria decision making in energy planning using a modified fuzzy TOPSIS methodology, Expert Systems with Applications 38(6): 6577–6585. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2010.11.081
Kim, Y.; Chung, E.-S.; Jun, S.-M.; Kim, S. U. 2013. Prioritizing the best sites for treated wastewater instream use in an urban watershed using fuzzy TOPSIS, Resources, Conservation and Recycling 73: 23–32. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2012.12.009
Kutlu, A. C.; Ekmekçioğlu, M. 2012. Fuzzy failure modes and effects analysis by using fuzzy TOPSIS-based fuzzy AHP, Expert Systems with Applications 39(1): 61–67. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2011.06.044
Læssøe, J.; Ljungdalh, A. K.; Alrøe, H. F.; Noe, E.; Christensen, T.; Dubgaard, A.; Olsen, S. B.; Kærgård, N.; Kastberg, P. 2014. Three perspectives on motivation and multicriteria assessment of organic food systems, Ecology and Society 19(3), article number 7. . https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-06397-190307
Latinopoulos, D. 2009. Multicriteria decision-making for efficient water and land resources allocation in irrigated agriculture, Environment, Development and Sustainability 11: 329–343. . https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-007-9115-2
Lee, G.; Jun, K. S.; Chung, E.-S. 2014. Robust spatial flood vulnerability assessment for Han River using fuzzy TOPSIS with α-cut level set, Expert Systems with Applications 41(2): 644–654. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2013.07.089
Legg, W.; Viatte, G. 2001. Farming systems for sustainable agriculture. OECD Observer, Paris, France.
Leifert, C. 2007. Introduction, in J. Cooper, U. Niggli, C. Leifert (Eds.). Handbook of organic foodsafety and quality. CRC Press, 1–6.
Masuda, T. A. D. A.; Yanagida, J. F.; Moncur, J. E. T.; El-Swaify, S. A. 2010. An application of multicriteria decision making incorporating stochastic production frontiers: a case study of organic coffee production in Kona, Hawaii, Natural resource modeling 23(1): 22–47. . https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-7445.2009.00055.x
Niggli, U. 2007. History and concepts of food quality and safety in organic food production and processing, in J. Cooper, U. Niggli, C. Leifert (Eds.). Handbook of organic foodsafety and quality. CRC Press, 9–24.
OECD. 2003. Conclusions and recommendations, organic agriculture: sustainability, markets and policies. CABI Publishing, 1–9.
Paksoy, T.; Pehlivan, N. Y.; Kahraman, C. 2012. Organizational strategy development in distribution channel management using fuzzy AHP and hierarchical fuzzy TOPSIS, Expert Systems with Applications 39(3): 2822–2841. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2011.08.142
Parra-Lopez, C.; Calatrava-Requena, J.; de-Haro-Gimenez, T. 2007. A multi-criteria evaluation of the environmental performances of conventional, organic and integrated olive-growing systems in the south of Spain based on experts’ knowledge, Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 22(3): 189–203. . https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170507001731
Parra-López, C.; Calatrava-Requena, J.; de-Haro-Giménez, T. 2008. A systemic comparative assessment of the multifunctional performance of alternative olive systems in Spain within an AHP-extended framework, Ecological Economics 64: 820–834. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2007.05.004
Parris, K. 2004. Lessons from the OECD workshop on biomass and agriculture, greenhouse gas emissions and abrupt climate change: positive options and robust policy, in OECD-OCDE Conference, 30 September–1 October 2004, Paris, France.
Roshandel, J.; Miri-Nargesi, S. S.; Hatami-Shirkouhi, L. 2013. Evaluating and selecting the supplier in detergent production industry using hierarchical fuzzy TOPSIS, Applied Mathematical Modelling 37(24): 10170–10181. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apm.2013.05.043
Royte, E. 2013. The post-GMO Economy [online], [cited 10 September 2014]. Available from Internet: . http://modernfarmer.com/2013/12/post-gmo-economy/
Rozman, C.; Pazek, K.; Bavec, F.; Bavec, M.; Turk, J.; Majkovic, D. 2006. A multi-criteria analysis of spelt food processing alternatives on small organic farms, Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 28(2): 159–179. . https://doi.org/10.1300/J064v28n02_12
Siciliano, G. 2009. Social multicriteria evaluation of farming practices in the presence of soil degradation. A case study in Southern Tuscany, Italy, Environment, Development and Sustainability 11(6): 1107–1133. . https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-008-9169-9
Sun, C.-C. 2010. A performance evaluation model by integrating fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS methods, Expert Systems with Applications 37: 7745–7754. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2010.04.066
Taylan, O.; Bafail, A. O.; Abdulaal, R. M. S.; Kabli, M. R. 2014. Construction projects selection and risk assessment by fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS methodologies, Applied Soft Computing 17: 105–116. . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asoc.2014.01.003
Yoon, K. P.; Hwang, C.-L. 1995. Multiple attribute decision making: an introduction. SAGE Publications, no: 104.