No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

The study was carried out to determine the economic value of forest conserved by local community for carbon sequestration in the Humbo District, Ethiopia. The contingent valuation method (CVM) using the double bounded bivariate probit econometric method was employed to estimate WTP for sustainable forest management. Household survey was randomly conducted in 218 respondents purposively selected from three forest development cooperatives. The bivariate probit model was run to estimate mean WTP and to identify the determinant factors for farmers' WTP for forest conservation. Thus, the mean WTP with covariates was estimated to be 104.38 Ethiopian Birr (ETB) and 55.73 ETB 1 per year for the initial bid and for the follow-up bid amount, respectively. The result also indicated that respondents' level of education, marital status, years of membership in the cooperatives, second bid amount, distance of residence from forest of interest, and net family income were significantly related to WTP for forest conservation. The study showed that even the poor households were willing to pay the average values in terms of cash contribution to maintain the forest management responsibility following the withdrawal of the NGO. In conclusion, whereas CVM can be applied to determine WTP for forest conservation, local people recognize and give value to the environmental services of the forest and are willing to maintain those benefits. The study also indicates the potential for sustainable forest management through community-based approach.

Cross-sectional data was used that was collected from 181 households in 2011/2012, to estimate households' willingness to pay for improved water service in Nebelet. The probit model was used to identify socioeconomic factors that affect the willingness to pay (WTP) of households. Interruption, delay in maintenance, irregular/erratic availability of the public water supply, the price charged per unit, the unequal treatment households face while collecting water at the public supply were found to be the pressing water problem existing in the study area. The descriptive analysis result showed that 96% of the sample households were willing to pay for the provision of improved water service. The Probit model showed that income, distance, water expense, bid, education, level of existing water satisfaction, marital status and sex were associated with households' willingness to pay for the provision of improved water services. Indicating, in designing water project/policy socioeconomic factors (such as age, monthly income, educational level) should be considered for successful water project/policy at household level.