Harnessing Spatial and Multi‐Criteria Decision Analysis ( <scp>MCDA</scp> ) to Optimize Land Suitability for Kenaf Cultivation in Kelantan: Pathways for Sustainable Economic Development

ABSTRACT In Kelantan, entrenched land degradation and extensive idling of agricultural lands exacerbate rural poverty. Current top‐down planning often overlooks local geographic and social constraints, despite state initiatives to convert idle lands and strengthen rural livelihoods. To address this, an integrated GIS–MCDA framework (using AHP) was developed to identify ecologically and socioeconomically optimal land for kenaf cultivation. Eight weighted criteria (land use, soil fertility and series, slope, elevation, geology, and proximity to rivers and roads) were combined via AHP in GIS, a well‐established land‐suitability method. The resulting suitability map was validated against the 2024 Agricultural Census and overlaid with e‐Kasih poverty data. The analysis identifies highly suitable kenaf zones in Kelantan's inland districts (overlapping areas of acute poverty), a distribution notably misaligned with official coastal development zones. Overlaying suitability with vulnerability data highlights gaps in current zoning and reveals opportunities for targeted agricultural diversification. By integrating land potential with socioeconomic vulnerability, the framework informs evidence‐based land rehabilitation and rural development strategies. Ultimately, this GIS–MCDA approach supports sustainable, inclusive land use planning and offers evidence‐based guidance for Malaysia to rehabilitate degraded lands and boost rural incomes. These outcomes contribute directly to SDG 1 (no poverty) and SDG 15 (life on land), and provide a replicable model for sustainable agricultural planning under global development agendas.