An integrated AHP-TOPSIS approach for bamboo product evaluation and selection in rural communities

This study introduces a decision support model integrating the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to select an economic tree product champion (bamboo) to benefit rural communities. An extensive literature review and expert discussions identified sixteen sub-criteria distributed across five main criteria. The study proposes four categories of bamboo products as alternatives, emphasizing community-level production capacity. The AHP determines priority weights, while TOPSIS prioritizes alternatives conducive to becoming the product champion within a community case study. The findings affirm the efficacy of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) in identifying a champion, with "Value addition potential," "Domestic market demand," and "International market (export) demand" identified as pivotal criteria. Bamboo culm-based products for energy-related applications emerged as the chosen product champion in a community case study in Thailand. This study offers practical implications for rural communities and potential investors in economic tree ventures, allowing the customization of decision criteria and alternatives for specific contexts. Socially, the focus on bamboo highlights diverse benefits along the entire supply chain, from upstream to downstream. The research pioneers a decision support model, providing insights into market opportunity analysis and supply chain network design based on the selected product champion.