SABIIA - Sistema Aberto e Integrado de Informação em Agricultura (Sabiia)

Reports results from a contingent valuation survey of willingness to pay for the conservation of the Asian elephant of a sample of urban residents living in three selected housing schemes in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Face–to–face surveys were conducted using an interview schedule. A non-linear logit regression model is used to analyse the respondents’ responses for the payment principle questions and to identify the factors that influence their responses. We investigate whether urban residents’ willingness to pay for the conservation of elephants is sufficient to compensate farmers for the damage caused by elephants. We find that the beneficiaries (the urban residents) could compensate losers (the farmers in the areas affected by human–elephant...

Wildlife Damage, Insurance/Compensation for Farmers and Conservation: Sri Lankan Elephants as a Case

Palavras-chave: Asian elephant; Elephas maximus; Elephant conservation; Willingness to pay; Contingent valuation; Sri Lanka.; Environmental Economics and Policy; Farm Management.

Ano: 2003

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/48968

The interference with agriculture has been recognised as the main cause for the current conflict between farmers and wild elephants in Sri Lanka, as elsewhere in the Asian elephant range. Thus compensating farmers for the damages caused by elephants is essential, if this endangered species is to survive in the long run. This paper explores the practicality of establishing an improved publicly funded insurance/compensation scheme to recompense farmers for the elephant damages. It does so by analysing results from two contingent valuation surveys undertaken in Sri Lanka. We find that possible public support of farmers plus urban dwellers significantly exceeds the financial requirement of the insurance scheme proposed in this study for perpetuity. The article...

Asian Elephants as Agricultural Pests: Damages, Economics of Control and Compensation in Sri Lanka

Palavras-chave: Public support; Agricultural insurance/compensation; Asian elephant; Human-elephant conflict; Wildlife conservation.; Agricultural Finance; Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2003

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/48958

Despite growing attention to crop and property damage caused by the Asian elephant, uncertainty exists about the magnitude of this problem. This paper explores the nature and magnitude of this problem of Sri Lanka. An economic analysis of individual farmers’ decisions to control elephants is provided. Government policies to assist farmers to cope with the elephant pest problem are assessed. Appropriate compensation schemes for farmers are seen as potentially more effective for conserving elephants in Sri Lanka than legal prohibitions on killing of elephants. Issues raised have wider relevance than merely to Sri Lanka or Asian elephants.

Use and non-use values of wild Asian elephants: A total economic valuation approach

Palavras-chave: Asian elephant; Elephant pest problem; Sri Lanka; Crop Production/Industries; Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2002

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/48735

The contingent valuation method is often used for valuing environmental goods possessing use as well as non-use values. This paper investigates the relative importance of these values in relation to the existence of the wild Asian elephant. It does so by analysing results from a contingent valuation survey of a sample of urban residents living in three selected housing schemes in Colombo. We find that the major proportion of the respondents’ willingness to pay (WTP) for conservation of wild elephants is attributable to the non-use values of the elephant. However, differences in the relative importance of these values exist between those who visit national parks and those who do not. Differences in respondents’ WTP for conservation of elephants are found...

Effects of a Change in Abundance of Elephants on Willingness to Pay for their Conservation

Palavras-chave: Asian elephant; Endangered species; Total economic value; Non-consumptive use value; Contingent valuation; Sri Lanka; Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2003

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/48961

This paper explores the way in which the stated willingness to pay for the conservation of Asian elephants in Sri Lanka varies with hypothetical variations in their abundance. To do that, it relies on results from a sample of residents of Colombo. The willingness to pay function is found to be unusual. It increases at an increasing rate for hypothetical reductions in the elephant population compared to its current level (a level that makes the Asian elephant endangered) and also increases at a decreasing rate for increases in this population from its current level. Rational explanations are given for this relationship. The relationship is, however, at odds with relationships suggested in some of the literature for total economic value as a function of...

The History and Value of the Elephant in Sri Lankan Society

Palavras-chave: Asian elephant; Contingent valuation; Sri Lanka; Total economic value; Wildlife conservation; Willingness to pay.; Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2004

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/48979

Reviews the literature to provide an overview of the historical significance of the elephant in Sri Lankan society, an association which dates back more than 4,000 years. The present status of this relationship assessed on the basis of the findings of a recent study undertaken on the total economic value of elephants in Sri Lanka. This paper, first briefly outlines the history, evolution, nature and their distribution of the Asian elephant while providing some insights on the status of the elephant (Elephas maxima maxima) in Sri Lanka. Next, it reviews the literature in order to assess the historical affiliation that the elephant has maintained with the Sri Lankan society, its culture, history, mythology and religion. The empirical evidence on the...

Willingness to pay for different degrees of Abundance of Elephants

Palavras-chave: Asian elephant; Sri Lanka; Conservation; Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2005

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/55092

This paper presents an application of the contingent valuation method (CVM) to determine how the willingness to pay (WTP) for conservation of Asian elephants varies with hypothetical variations in their population. Results from a CVM survey of a sample of urban residents in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka are used for this purpose. We find, consistent with the basic principles of consumer demand theory, the marginal change in the respondents’ WTP amounts is positive but appears to diminish in parallel to the increases in the current wild elephant population (CWEP). In contrast to theoretical expectations, however, we find that the WTP for preserving this species increases at an increasing rate in relation to decreases in the CWEP. This is probably...

Changing Abundance of Elephants and Willingness to Pay for their Conservation

Palavras-chave: Asian elephant; Contingent valuation; Elephant conservation; Sri Lanka; Total economic value; Willingness to pay; Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2003

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/48966

Willingness of Sri Lankan Farmers to pay for a Scheme to Conserve Elephants: An Empirical Analysis

Palavras-chave: Asian elephant; Contingent valuation; Sri Lanka; Total economic value; Wildlife conservation; Willingness to pay; Environmental Economics and Policy.

Ano: 2004

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/90538

This paper explores the feasibility of adopting an integrated economic approach to raise farmers’ tolerance of the presence of elephants on their farming lands. Responses to this approach were sought from a sample of farmers in the areas affected by human elephant conflict in the northwestern province of Sri Lanka. Results from a contingent valuation survey of their willingness to pay for a scheme to conserve elephants are also reported. Two separate logit regression analyses were undertaken to examine the factors that influence the farmers’ responses for the payment principle question and their opinions on the integrated economic approach. Although found that the majority of the respondents expressed their willingness to pay for the proposed scheme and...

Rural and Urban Attitudes to the Conservation of Asian Elephants in Sri Lanka: Empirical Evidence

Palavras-chave: Agricultural pest; Agricultural insurance; Asian elephant; Economic valuation; Elephas maximus; Farmers’ wildlife attitudes; Human-elephant conflict; Wildlife conservation; Environmental Economics and Policy; Land Economics/Use; Livestock Production/Industries.

Ano: 2003

URL: http://purl.umn.edu/48954

There has been little study of economic and general attitudes towards the conservation of the Asian elephant. This paper reports and analyses results from surveys conducted in Sri Lanka of attitudes of urban dwellers and farmers towards nature conservation in general and the elephant conservation in particular. The analyses are based on urban and a rural sample. Contingent valuation techniques are used as survey instruments. Multivariate logit regression analysis is used to analyze the respondents’ attitudes towards conservation of elephants. It is found that, although some variations occurred between the samples, the majority of the respondents (both rural and urban) have positive attitudes towards nature conservation in general. However, marked...