Articles | Volume 7, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-7-673-2016
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-7-673-2016
Research article
 | 
27 Apr 2016
Research article |  | 27 Apr 2016

Assessment of combating-desertification strategies using the linear assignment method

Mohammad Hassan Sadeghravesh, Hassan Khosravi, and Soudeh Ghasemian

Abstract. Nowadays desertification, as a global problem, affects many countries in the world, especially developing countries like Iran. With respect to increasing importance of desertification and its complexity, the necessity of attention to the optimal combating-desertification alternatives is essential. Selecting appropriate strategies according to all effective criteria to combat the desertification process can be useful in rehabilitating degraded lands and avoiding degradation in vulnerable fields. This study provides systematic and optimal strategies of combating desertification by use of a group decision-making model. To this end, the preferences of indexes were obtained through using the Delphi model, within the framework of multi-attribute decision making (MADM). Then, priorities of strategies were evaluated by using linear assignment (LA) method. According to the results, the strategies to prevent improper change of land use (A18), development and reclamation of plant cover (A23), and control overcharging of groundwater resources (A31) were identified as the most important strategies for combating desertification in this study area. Therefore, it is suggested that the aforementioned ranking results be considered in projects which control and reduce the effects of desertification and rehabilitate degraded lands.

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Short summary
Select appropriate strategies according to all effective criteria in combating desertification process can be so useful in controlling and rehabilitation of degraded lands, and avoid degradation in vulnerable fields. This study provides systematic and optimal strategies of combating desertification by group decision-making model. To this end, in the framework of Multi Attribute Decision Making (MADM) and by using Delphi model (Delphi), the preferences of indexes were obtained.