On-Site Costs and Benefits of Soil Conservation Among Hillside Farmers in El Salvador

Abstract

This study analyses the relationships between farm income, adoption of conservation technologies and output diversification among PAES participants by comparing their performance at two points in time, 2002 and 2005, and against non-participants (control group) in 2005. The indicators reveal that the soil conservation and agroforestry component of PAES has been highly profitable. The outcome of the study shows crop diversification and soil conservation practices exhibit a strong positive association with the length of farmers' involvement with PAES and their participation in social organizations, and the positive association between conservation practices and income contrasts with the effects of conservation structures, which is negative but non-significant.