Strategic insights for sustainable growth of mushroom farming industry in Bangladesh: A comprehensive evaluation using SWOT-AHP and TOPSIS frameworks

Biplob Dey; Md Ahosan Habib Ador; Mohammed Masum Ul Haque; Jannatul Ferdous; Md Abdul Halim; Mohammad Belal Uddin; Romel Ahmed

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36956

Strategic insights for sustainable growth of mushroom farming industry in Bangladesh: A comprehensive evaluation using SWOT-AHP and TOPSIS frameworks

Heliyon. 2024 Aug 27;10(17):e36956. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36956. eCollection 2024 Sep 15.

Authors

Biplob Dey^{1

2}, Md Ahosan Habib Ador¹, Mohammed Masum Ul Haque¹, Jannatul Ferdous¹, Md Abdul Halim¹, Mohammad Belal Uddin¹, Romel Ahmed^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, 3114, Bangladesh.
² Informatics and Modelling, Center for Research in Environment, IGen and Livelihoods (CREGL), Sylhet, Bangladesh.
³ Livelihood and Environment, Center for Research in Environment, IGen and Livelihoods (CREGL), Sylhet, Bangladesh.

Abstract

Mushroom farming using agri-waste as substrates can offer a sustainable solution to the food security challenges of inadequate and imbalanced diets. Developing strategies to exploit the potential of the mushroom industry fully is yet to be explored in Bangladesh. We, thus, conducted this study to investigate the challenges and opportunities associated with mushroom farming, as well as the characteristics of farms and employees engaged in this industry. A directional stepwise multiple regression analysis showed self-motivation, spawn cost, farm size, and training are the key influencing factors driving profitability. Farm surveys identified SWOT factors with 24 sub-factors cross-validated with expert consultations. The sub-factors were categorized as beneficial (strength and opportunities) and cost (weakness and threats) to formulate the SWOT strategies using the Grey-TOPSIS method. Results indicate a favorable scenario exists for the industry in Bangladesh, with significant opportunities (group weight 0.53) and minimal threats (group weight 0.09). We proposed 12 strategic alternatives for the sustainable growth of this industry. This top-ranking strategy is not only to secure funding (relative closeness, $C^{+}$ = 0.87) but also to provide more accessible loan options envisioning a strategic expansion of business operations in Bangladesh. The evaluation highlighted the significance of collaboration with other mushroom farmers to maximize the gain in marketing that will substantially expand the local demand ( $C^{+}$ = 0.697). Besides, product diversification is also underscored as an important strategy for the growth of the industry. These prioritized SWOT strategies lay the groundwork for policy development, aiding decision-makers in steering the mushroom industry towards sustainable growth for developing countries like Bangladesh. Promoting such an eco-friendly industry will generate ample opportunities for women's employment and appreciable profit while contributing to environmental improvement through recycling agri-waste.

Keywords: Agri-waste; Agricultural waste; Grey-TOPSIS; Mushroom; SWOT; Sustainability; Waste management.