Maximization of Strategic Crops Production in Iraq with Fuzzy Goal Programming

Suliadi Firdaus Sufahani,Jehan Saleh Ahmed,Ibrahim Zeghaiton Chaloob,Mohd Kamal Mohd Nawawi,Razamin Ramli

doi:10.13189/ujar.2022.100102

Abstract

The need to increase agricultural production has become a challenging task for most countries. Generally, many resource factors affect the deterioration of production level, such as low water level, desertification, soil salinity, low on capital, lack of equipment, the impact of export and import of crops, lack of fertilizers, pesticide, and the ineffective role of agricultural extension services which are significant in this sector. The main objective of this research is to develop fuzzy goal programming (GP) model to improve agricultural crop production, leading to increased agricultural benefits (more tons of produce per acre) based on the minimization of the main resources (water, fertilizer, and pesticide) to determine the weight in the objectives function subject to different constraints (land area, irrigation, labor, fertilizer, pesticide, equipment, and seed). Fuzzy GP (FGP) and GP were utilized to solve multi-objective decision-making (MODM) problems. From the results, this research has successfully presented a new alternative method that introduced multi-interval weights in solving a multi-objective FGP and GP model problem in a fuzzy manner, in the current uncertain decision-making environment for the agricultural sector. The significance of this research lies in the fact that some of the farming zones have resource limitations while others adversely impact their environment due to misuse of resources.

Highlights

Agricultural improvement activities are normally associated with productivity due to changes in the agricultural process, such as the shift from the traditional human labor usage to advanced synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, selective breeding, and the mechanization of tools during the past century
The results show that the minimization values for goals Z2, Z3, and Z4 are achieved through the proposed MIWGP model, except for the Z1
The results for 2002 data show that the minimum values of goals Z2, Z3, and Z4 are obtained through the proposed MIWFGP model, while the maximum value of Z1 is from SIWGP

Summary

Introduction

Agricultural improvement activities are normally associated with productivity due to changes in the agricultural process, such as the shift from the traditional human labor usage to advanced synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, selective breeding, and the mechanization of tools during the past century. Agriculture has been related to many issues like water, land, biofuels, genetically modified organisms, farm subsidies, human resources, capital, tariffs, and import/export [1]–[3]. To solve these issues, multiple criteria have been considered in studies on mechanized agricultural activities, support for the organic movement, and sustainable agricultural development [4], [5]. Most of the leaders in the developing countries are committed to exerting effort and providing support for the development of agriculture and trade capacity-building in the agricultural sector [7] This is because agricultural development contributes highly to the economic growth of developing countries. The agricultural production plans and their dependence on natural conditions have significant implications for the economy

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion