IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i3p849-d136703.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Measuring Baseline Agriculture-Related Sustainable Development Goals Index for Southern Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Charles Nhemachena

    (International Water Management Institute, Southern Africa Regional Office, 141 Cresswell St, Weavind Park, Pretoria 0184, South Africa)

  • Greenwell Matchaya

    (International Water Management Institute, Southern Africa Regional Office, 141 Cresswell St, Weavind Park, Pretoria 0184, South Africa)

  • Charity R. Nhemachena

    (Department of Finance and Economics, Graduate School of Business Leadership, University of South Africa, Midrand 1685, South Africa)

  • Selma Karuaihe

    (Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa)

  • Binganidzo Muchara

    (Department of Finance and Economics, Graduate School of Business Leadership, University of South Africa, Midrand 1685, South Africa)

  • Sibusiso Nhlengethwa

    (International Water Management Institute, Southern Africa Regional Office, 141 Cresswell St, Weavind Park, Pretoria 0184, South Africa)

Abstract

Sustainable development has become the main focus of the global development agenda as presented in the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, for countries to assess progress, they need to have reliable baseline indicators. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to develop a composite baseline index of the agriculture-related SDGs in Southern Africa to guide progress reporting. The paper identified eight of the SDG indicators related to the agriculture sector. The paper relies on data for indicators from five SDGs (SDGs 1, 2, 6, 7 and 15). Applying the arithmetic mean method of aggregation, an agriculture-related SDG composite index for Southern Africa between zero (0 = poor performance) and 100 (best possible performance) was computed for thirteen countries that had data on all identified indicators. The results show that the best performing countries (Botswana, Angola, Namibia, Zambia and South Africa) in the assessment recorded high scores in SDGs 1, 2 and 7. The three countries (Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe and Madagascar) that performed poorly on both SDG 1 and 2 also had the least scores on the overall agriculture-related SDG composite index. The water stress indicator for SDG 6 recorded the worst performance among most countries in the region. Possible approaches to improve the contribution of agriculture to SDGs may include investing more resources in priority areas for each agriculture-related SDG depending on baseline country conditions. The implementation, monitoring and evaluation of regional and continental commitments in the agriculture sector and the SDGs are critical for achievement of the targets at the national and local levels. While the methods employed are well-grounded in literature, data unavailability for some of the SDGs in some countries presented a limitation to the study, and future efforts should focus on collecting data for the other SDGs in order to permit a wider application.

Suggested Citation

  • Charles Nhemachena & Greenwell Matchaya & Charity R. Nhemachena & Selma Karuaihe & Binganidzo Muchara & Sibusiso Nhlengethwa, 2018. "Measuring Baseline Agriculture-Related Sustainable Development Goals Index for Southern Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-16, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:3:p:849-:d:136703
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/3/849/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/3/849/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrea Saltelli, 2007. "Composite Indicators between Analysis and Advocacy," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 81(1), pages 65-77, March.
    2. Zhou, P. & Ang, B.W. & Poh, K.L., 2007. "A mathematical programming approach to constructing composite indicators," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(2), pages 291-297, April.
    3. L Cherchye & W Moesen & N Rogge & T Van Puyenbroeck & M Saisana & A Saltelli & R Liska & S Tarantola, 2008. "Creating composite indicators with DEA and robustness analysis: the case of the Technology Achievement Index," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 59(2), pages 239-251, February.
    4. Nhemachena, Charles & Matchaya, Greenwell & Nhlengethwa, Sibusiso & Nhemachena, C. R., . "Exploring ways to increase public investments in agricultural water management and irrigation for improved agricultural productivity in Southern Africa," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 44(3):474-4.
    5. George Kararach & Godwell Nhamo & Maurice Mubila & Senia Nhamo & Charles Nhemachena & Suresh Babu, 2018. "Reflections on the Green Growth Index for developing countries: A focus of selected African countries," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S1), pages 432-454, March.
    6. Laurens Cherchye & Willem Moesen & Nicky Rogge & Tom Puyenbroeck, 2007. "An Introduction to ‘Benefit of the Doubt’ Composite Indicators," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 82(1), pages 111-145, May.
    7. M. Saisana & A. Saltelli & S. Tarantola, 2005. "Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis techniques as tools for the quality assessment of composite indicators," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 168(2), pages 307-323, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nhemachena, Charles & Matchaya, Greenwell & Nhemachena, C. R. & Karuaihe, S. & Muchara, B. & Nhlengethwa, Sibusiso, 2018. "Measuring baseline agriculture-related sustainable development goals index for southern Africa," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 10(3):1-16..
    2. Salvatore Greco & Alessio Ishizaka & Menelaos Tasiou & Gianpiero Torrisi, 2019. "On the Methodological Framework of Composite Indices: A Review of the Issues of Weighting, Aggregation, and Robustness," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 141(1), pages 61-94, January.
    3. P. Zhou & B. Ang, 2009. "Comparing MCDA Aggregation Methods in Constructing Composite Indicators Using the Shannon-Spearman Measure," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 94(1), pages 83-96, October.
    4. P. Zhou & B. Ang & D. Zhou, 2010. "Weighting and Aggregation in Composite Indicator Construction: a Multiplicative Optimization Approach," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 96(1), pages 169-181, March.
    5. Giménez, Víctor & Thieme, Claudio & Prior, Diego & Tortosa-Ausina, Emili, 2022. "Evaluation and determinants of preschool effectiveness in Chile," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    6. Hatefi, S.M. & Torabi, S.A., 2010. "A common weight MCDA-DEA approach to construct composite indicators," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 114-120, November.
    7. Milica Maricic & Jose A. Egea & Veljko Jeremic, 2019. "A Hybrid Enhanced Scatter Search—Composite I-Distance Indicator (eSS-CIDI) Optimization Approach for Determining Weights Within Composite Indicators," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 144(2), pages 497-537, July.
    8. Su, Weihua & Chen, Sibo & Zhang, Chonghui & Li, Kevin W., 2023. "A subgroup dominance-based benefit of the doubt method for addressing rank reversals: A case study of the human development index in Europe," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 307(3), pages 1299-1317.
    9. Rogge, Nicky, 2018. "Composite indicators as generalized benefit-of-the-doubt weighted averages," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 267(1), pages 381-392.
    10. Laurens CHERCHYE & Willem MOESEN & Nicky ROGGE & Tom VAN PUYENBROECK, 2009. "Constructing a knowledge economy composite indicator with imprecise data," Working Papers of Department of Economics, Leuven ces09.15, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Department of Economics, Leuven.
    11. Kristof Witte & Nicky Rogge, 2010. "To publish or not to publish? On the aggregation and drivers of research performance," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 85(3), pages 657-680, December.
    12. Annalina Sarra & Eugenia Nissi, 2020. "A Spatial Composite Indicator for Human and Ecosystem Well-Being in the Italian Urban Areas," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 148(2), pages 353-377, April.
    13. Greco, Salvatore & Ishizaka, Alessio & Tasiou, Menelaos & Torrisi, Gianpiero, 2019. "Sigma-Mu efficiency analysis: A methodology for evaluating units through composite indicators," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 278(3), pages 942-960.
    14. Giuseppe Coco & Raffaele Lagravinese & Giuliano Resce, 2020. "Beyond the weights: a multicriteria approach to evaluate inequality in education," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 18(4), pages 469-489, December.
    15. Van den Bossche, Filip & Rogge, Nicky & Devooght, Kurt & Van Puyenbroeck , Tom, 2009. "Robust CSR Investment Screening," Working Papers 2009/05, Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel, Faculteit Economie en Management.
    16. Yongjun Shen & Elke Hermans & Tom Brijs & Geert Wets, 2013. "Data Envelopment Analysis for Composite Indicators: A Multiple Layer Model," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 739-756, November.
    17. Athanassoglou, Stergios, 2015. "Revisiting Worst-case DEA for Composite Indicators," Climate Change and Sustainable Development 198712, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    18. Ernest Reig, 2012. "Building an Enlarged Human Development Indicator: Europe and the Southern Mediterranean Basin," Working Papers 1203, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.
    19. Chao Shi & Kenneth C. Land, 2021. "The Data Envelopment Analysis and Equal Weights/Minimax Methods of Composite Social Indicator Construction: a Methodological Study of Data Sensitivity and Robustness," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(4), pages 1689-1716, August.
    20. Francesca Giambona & Erasmo Vassallo, 2014. "Composite Indicator of Social Inclusion for European Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 116(1), pages 269-293, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:3:p:849-:d:136703. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.