Application of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in a multi-criteria selection of agricultural irrigation systems

The integrated Structure-Actor-Water framework (iSAW) was used to develop a set of indicators to select an irrigation system according to its sustainability impact on agriculture. The analysis hierarchical process (AHP) was used to explore the views of 60 agricultural water stakeholders, such as specialists, extension experts, agricultural NGO staff, and farmers across Ardabil Province in Iran. Participants were selected using the snowball method and interviewed using a 42-item questionnaire to measure the relative importance of nine indicators for choosing the best irrigation system. The results reveal that (i) all groups of stakeholders preferred pressurized irrigation systems (PISs) (69%) with respect to agricultural sustainability; (ii) indicators of employment and income had a relative weight of.26, productivity.20, improved quality of life.16, and agricultural expansion.14, when it comes to making decisions regarding irrigation systems; and (iii) with the exception of specialists, the other participants - farmers, NGO staff, and extension experts - made similar decisions when choosing the best irrigation systems. The results show the usefulness of iSAW as a decision-making framework and the proposed methodological approach to decision-making concerning water issues in highlighting the socio-economic aspects that must be closely coordinated in order to meet sustainability objectives for the irrigated agriculture sector.