Strategic Assessment and Prioritisation of Agricultural Mechanisation Development in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran Using an Integrated SWOT–TOPSIS Approach

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article- En

Authors

S. M. Mousavi

A. Taheri Hajivand

Department of Biosystem Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

10.22067/jam.2026.99379.1498

Abstract

Sustainable agricultural development in Iran increasingly depends on context-specific mechanisation strategies that account for regional capacities and constraints. This study aims to identify and prioritise strategic pathways for agricultural mechanisation development in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran using an integrated SWOT–TOPSIS framework. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical, mixed-method design in which internal and external factors affecting mechanisation were first identified and structured through SWOT analysis based on expert knowledge. The statistical population consisted of experts and specialists, mechanisation companies and cooperatives, and experts affiliated with the Agricultural Jihad Organization of East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Because the study required specialised judgments, a purposive, judgmental, non-probability sampling method was used, and the participants were selected based on their relevant expertise, practical experience, and familiarity with mechanisation issues in the province. Data were collected from 102 agricultural mechanisation experts using a structured questionnaire. Subsequently, the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was applied to prioritise the identified factors. The results indicate that internal strengths currently provide a relatively favourable basis for mechanisation development (weighted internal factor score = 2.53), mainly due to the presence of agricultural machinery industries and access to spare parts. However, external threats outweigh existing opportunities (weighted external factor score = 2.37), with the Urmia Lake environmental crisis and rising machinery prices identified as the most critical constraints. Among the internal factors, based on their derived weights, local manufacturing capacity and spare part availability ranked as the most influential strengths, while outdated machinery and fragmented farm structures represented the most significant weaknesses. Based on the SWOT strategic position, the agricultural mechanisation sector in East Azerbaijan Province is placed in the Strength–Threats (ST) quadrant; therefore, the most appropriate strategies are those that use internal strengths to reduce or offset external threats. Accordingly, strategies that leverage internal strengths to mitigate external threats should be prioritised, particularly those aimed at strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity, improving repair and maintenance services, and enhancing resilience to environmental and market-related pressures. The proposed analytical framework offers evidence-based insights crucial for policymakers and agricultural planners. It supports the design of more effective, region-specific mechanisation policies to foster sustainable agricultural development in East Azerbaijan Province.

Keywords

Agricultural mechanisation, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran, Mechanisation development, Strategic planning, SWOT–TOPSIS integration

Subjects

• Resilience, Risk, and Uncertainty Engineering in Agricultural Systems

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Authors retain the copyright. This is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)

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