Assessing the Value of Agroecosystem Services in Warmia and Mazury Province Using Choice Experiments

Stanisław Bielski, Renata Marks-Bielska, Anastasija Novikova and Bernardas Vaznonis
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Stanisław Bielski: Department of Agrotechnology, Agricultural Production Management and Agribusiness, Faculty of Environmental Development and Agriculture, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Renata Marks-Bielska: Department of Economic Policy, Faculty of Economic Science, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 4, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Anastasija Novikova: Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaičio str. 58, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
Bernardas Vaznonis: Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaičio str. 58, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania

Agriculture, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Due to the often-intangible benefits of agroecosystem services (AES), their cultural, social, and economic value is very difficult to quantify and integrate into decision-making and policy-making processes. The aim of this study is to assess the non-market values of AES in an exceptionally environmentally rich area of the Warmia and Mazury region (Poland), identifying consumers’ preferences for them using the choice experiment (CE) method. Four AES attributes were selected for the research: (i) water quality; (ii) wildlife populations; and (iii) agricultural landscape. The study has revealed that the residents of Warmia and Mazury region were concerned about environmental issues that may be caused by agriculture. There was a demand for the provision of AES. The application of multinomial logit (MNL) model has revealed that marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) values were the highest for water quality (EUR 1.94), followed by wildlife population (EUR 1.02) and agricultural landscape (EUR 0.85). The findings have provided quantitative information related to the demand for improvements in AES through agri-environmental protection programs.

Keywords: agroecosystem services; choice experiments; preferences; willingness to pay (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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