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Farmers' responsibilization in payment for environmental services: Lessons from community forestry in Nepal

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  • Khanal, Yajnamurti
  • Devkota, Bishnu Prasad

Abstract

As attention to individual responsibility and the potential for self-realization through responsibilization grows, there is a need for better understanding of how environmental governance is also changing. In considering changes in community forestry priorities, from reversing deforestation to environmental governance, it is essential to understand how environmental responsibilities are being shifted to individuals and how people react to particular environmental conditions within such changes. In community forestry, farmers` decisions to receive and provide environmental services are guided by rational choices and market mechanisms. This study assessed how farmers value irrigation water supply services from community forests based on the economic and environmental importance of these services. The study also investigated whether responsibilization persists and reframes individual choices to pay for environmental services. Rajapani community forest user group in Rupandehi district, Nepal, was selected for the study due to its ongoing procedures to supply water for irrigation in the village. For data collection farmers were purposively selected to represent different well-being status, gender and distance of paddy field from the water source. Contingent valuation and focus group discussions were employed as research methods. The study revealed that mean willingness of the farmers to pay was USD 77.13 per ha per year for irrigation water. Distance from paddy field to water source, well-being status, education, age, gender and caste of the farmers were tested against willingness to pay (WTP). Pearson correlation tests showed distance of paddy field from water source, well-being status and gender have a substantial influence on the individual's WTP. Farmers also expressed substantial concern for the sustainability of water resources, and were exposed to responsibilizing discourses mainly because they were willing to emphasize personal action to respond to the situation and overcome potential imposed threats of climate change. The shifting forms of environmental governance have implications for responsibilizing service providers and receivers in payment for environmental services, and opens a new discourse in community forestry.

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  • Khanal, Yajnamurti & Devkota, Bishnu Prasad, 2020. "Farmers' responsibilization in payment for environmental services: Lessons from community forestry in Nepal," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:forpol:v:118:y:2020:i:c:s1389934119300164
    DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2020.102237
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    2. Laudari, Hari Krishna & Sapkota, Lok Mani & Maraseni, Tek & Subedi, Poorneswor & Pariyar, Shiva & Kaini, Tika Raj & Lopchan, Shyam Babu & Weston, Christopher & Volkova, Luba, 2024. "Community forestry in a changing context: A perspective from Nepal’s mid-hill," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    3. Luigi La Riccia & Vanessa Assumma & Marta Carla Bottero & Federico Dell’Anna & Angioletta Voghera, 2023. "A Contingent Valuation-Based Method to Valuate Ecosystem Services for a Proactive Planning and Management of Cork Oak Forests in Sardinia (Italy)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-28, May.
    4. Tavárez, Héctor & Elbakidze, Levan, 2021. "Urban forests valuation and environmental disposition: The case of Puerto Rico," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).

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