An Integrated Entropy–MAIRCA Approach for Multi-Dimensional Strategic Classification of Agricultural Development in East Africa

Chia-Nan Wang, Duy-Oanh Tran Thi (), Nhat-Luong Nhieu () and Ming-Hsien Hsueh
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Chia-Nan Wang: Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 807618, Taiwan
Duy-Oanh Tran Thi: Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 807618, Taiwan
Nhat-Luong Nhieu: College of Technology and Design, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
Ming-Hsien Hsueh: Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 807618, Taiwan

Mathematics, 2025, vol. 13, issue 15, 1-22

Abstract: Agricultural development is vital for East Africa’s economic growth, yet the region faces significant disparities and systemic barriers. A critical problem exists due to the lack of an integrated quantitative framework to systematically comparing agricultural capacities and facilitate optimal resource allocation, as existing studies often overlook combined internal and external factors. This study proposes a comprehensive multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model to assess, categorize, and strategically profile the agricultural development capacity of 18 East African countries. The method employed is an integrated Entropy-MAIRCA model, which objectively weighs six criteria (the food production index, arable land, production fluctuation, food export/import ratios, and the political stability index) and ranks countries by their distance from an ideal development state. The experiment applied this framework to 18 East African nations using official data. The results revealed significant differences, forming four distinct strategic groups: frontier, emerging, trade-dependent, and high risk. The food export index (C4) and production volatility (C3) were identified as the most influential criteria. This model’s contribution is providing a science-based, transparent decision support tool for designing sustainable agricultural policies, aiding investment planning, and promoting regional cooperation, while emphasizing the crucial role of institutional factors.

Keywords: multi-criteria decision making; Entropy–MAIRCA method; capacity assessment; strategic profiling; East Africa; engineering management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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