Resumen de A fuzzy MCDM framework for evaluating food security performance in the MENA region

Kaies Ncibi

• Food security in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region represents a complex challenge characterized by multiple conflicting criteria and significant data uncertainty. This study proposes a novel hybrid fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework to evaluate food security performance across 13 MENA countries. The methodology integrates fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for criterion weighting under uncertainty and fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) for alternative ranking. The research identifies four key dimensions of food security – availability, access, utilization, and stability – with utilization emerging as the most critical factor (weight: 0.52), followed by stability (0.25), availability (0.18), and access (0.11). The results reveal a clear performance hierarchy: high-income Gulf Cooperation Council countries demonstrate superior food security, while conflict-affected nations exhibit severe vulnerabilities. The robustness of findings is validated through comparative analysis with VIKOR, PROMETHEE, and MOORA methods. The study provides dimension specific policy recommendations, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions addressing each country’s unique weaknesses in the food security framework.