GIS-AHP-Based Site Suitability Analysis for Establishing a Mega Food Park in Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

The 2022 NABARD Consultancy Services (NABCONS) assessment commissioned by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries estimated post-harvest losses of 6.02-15.05% for fruits and 4.87-11.61% for vegetables in India (NABARD Consultancy Services [NABCONS], 2022), underscoring the importance of improved handling, storage, processing, and logistics. This study applied a Geographic Information System (GIS) integrated with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to screen suitable zones for a Mega Food Park within the 2011 Census boundary of Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh (11,161 km²). Slope was derived from 30 m Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) elevation data; road and railway networks were obtained from OpenStreetMap; Sentinel-2 land-use/land-cover information was used as a contextual screening layer; and proximity to Agricultural Produce Market Centres (APMCs) represented market and aggregation access. The final AHP model comprised four weighted criteria: road proximity (0.5117), railway proximity (0.2378), APMC proximity (0.1725), and slope (0.0780). The pairwise comparison matrix was internally consistent (CR = 0.0389). Approximately 65% of the study area occurred within the 0-5% slope range, about 25% within 0-2 km of major roads, and about 20% within 0-5 km of railway lines. The four-class suitability surface comprised 24% highly suitable, 33% moderately suitable, 20% marginally suitable, and 23% unsuitable land. High-suitability concentrations occurred along the NH-16 corridor, particularly around the Anakapalle-Sabbavaram and Duvvada-Gajuwaka areas. The output is a screening-level decision-support product rather than a final land-allocation decision and requires field, environmental, legal, and economic verification before implementation.