Development of an optimised irrigation system selection model using analytical hierarchy process

A model for selecting an optimised irrigation method was developed by considering the physical, socio-economic, and environmental criteria affecting irrigation efficiency. The optimisation process was accomplished using analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Fifteen variables in irrigation systems and eight in the irrigation sub-systems were analysed. The model was evaluated for three regions with crops of wheat, sugar beet, and grapes. The micro, border, and furrow irrigation methods were found to be the best selections for regions 1 to 3, respectively. The results obtained from the proposed model were compared with those obtained from field investigations, and the other two weighting methods. They revealed that the results from the model were in close agreement with results from the field investigations. Evaluations indicate that the results obtained from the proposed model are more reliable than those obtained from the other two weighting methods. This is because different multivariate criteria were used in the model, which contribute to improved quality of the final solution and to higher consistency levels in the decision-making process.