Application of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to apiculture potential assessment: A case study of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Kerala, India

Abstract

Apiculture has now emerged as an important segment of agriculture in rural as well as urban areas. The prompt identification of potential beekeeping suitability areas is vital for maximizing productivity. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a tool to support Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) in identifying suitable sites with maximum potential for various agricultural practices. This study tested a GIS-based AHP tool to assess urban beekeeping suitability zones in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in Kerala State, utilizing multiple public sector repositories. Our analysis indicates that over 67% of the land area of the corporation has a high or very high potential for apiculture, while 27% of the corporation area is not suitable or less suitable for beekeeping. Our inferences can be used by government agencies to implement various apiculture promotional measures and the beekeepers can use it to identify suitable sites for apiary location and relocation to maximize their profit. Using GIS tools, the study also created a model to utilize public data domains for decision-making.