Public willingness to pay for perceived ecosystem services in rubber agroforestry systems in Edo and Delta States, Nigeria

Abstract

In this study, contingent valuation method using the payment card method was adopted to elicit willingness to pay (WTP) for ecosystem services  obtainable in a Rubber agroforestry system (RAS) in Edo and Delta State. The value obtained from the study provided monetary estimate of  ecosystem services derivable from RAS. The hypothesis tested was that there was no significant relationship between the respondent  socioeconomic variables and their willingness to pay for ecosystem services in RAS. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used in this study. Data was obtained with a structured and pre-tested questionnaire administered interpersonally to the respondent and also focus group discussion to validate the respondent’s response. One hundred and twenty (120) copies of questionnaire were administered in each State making it a total of 240 questionnaires administered for the study. The result revealed that 191 respondents (79.6 %) were willing to pay amounts ranging from ₦ 100 to ₦1000 monthly. The modal value was ₦200 with the highest response (38.08 %). An individual monthly WTP of ₦334.4 and ₦337.9 (₦360 = $1) in Edo and Delta State were obtained in the study area. These values resulted into an aggregate of ₦2,413,810,220.8 and ₦1,384,846,318.9 in Edo State and Delta State respectively. These amounts represented the monthly monetary values of the ecosystem service derived in a Rubber Agroforestry System (RAS). Farming experience and attitude of RAS farmers are some of the socio-economic variables by which the monetary values of ecosystem service in RAS can be predicted as revealed by the multiple regression analysis. Thus, this study has been able to provide additional information for the private land users and public policy makers on the non-market environmental benefits of alternative land use options.

Keywords: Ecosystem services, regulatory services, Willingness to pay, non-market benefits, Rubber agroforestry system