A participatory multicriteria decision analysis of the adaptive capacity-building needs of Jordan's agribusiness actors discloses the indirect needs downstream the value chain as “post-requisites” to the direct upstream needs

Climate adaptive capacity-building initiatives and activities in developing countries, particularly those implemented by developmental agencies international organizations, commonly focus on the upstream direct needs of targeted vulnerable sectors. However, overlooking a holistic climate-adaptive sector down to last link its value chain renders inadequate contribution, jeopardizes adaptation intervention, prevents achieving high level buy-in actors for results sought programs. Thus, this study developed hybrid system-wide participatory (focus groups-based) multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) conduct adaptive-capacity assessments agribusiness country Jordan. Our approach enabled highlighting sector's climate vulnerability along chain, conducting self-regulated training assessment (TNA) identifying prioritizing their real needs. This proved be uniquely advantageous comparison used questionnaire-based surveys that are limited-participatory, researcher-regulated, subsystem-oriented approaches. The advantages hands-on wide-ranging MCDA–TNA evident from revelation unique results. such highly spontaneously identify prioritize indirect downstream surprisingly over is because considered more important businesses livelihoods than needs, thus considering as “post-requisites” fate also beneficiaries formulate intervention outcomes, unveil factors ignored conventional researcher-controlled approaches, secure self-attained results, actual demands. robust combination qualitative research methods tools could straightforwardly applied design efficient cost-effective programs, especially during time-restricted resource-limited interventions. types quick investigations preliminary first step toward deeper extensive quantitative studies, if needed.