| dc.description.abstract | Nyabarongo River system is an ecosystem that provides goods and services to the Rwandese
communities; this river serves as a tributary of the ile River, an international resource.
However, its integrity has been compromised due to increasing pressure for expansion of
agricultural land.
Against the aforementioned background, the present study was undertaken to assess fanners'
maximum Willingness To Pay (WTP) for protection of Nyabarongo River system. Further,
the study assessed the potential influence of different factors on the WTP estimates. A sample
of 359 households from four Districts in the catchment area was randomly selected and
interviewed through household survey questionnaires. The Contingent Valuation Method
(CVM) was applied to estimate the amount of money fanners are willing to pay while the
influence of different factors was assessed using the Ordinary Least Squares regression
method.
Results showed that the mean household's maximum WTP for the protection ofNyabarongo
River system was 486.4 Rwandan francs (Rwf) per household per month over the proposed
five years (USD$l = 607 Rwf). The main factors that were found to have significant
statistical influence on the WfP are household income, education of the household head,
respondent's perception of the current quality of water in Nyabarongo River, access to tap
water, household size, extension contacts, initial bid amount and knowledge of individual
responsibility in wetland protection. Based on these findings, it may be concluded that
riparian communities attach considerable economic value to the river system. In order to
achieve sustainable management of the wetland, there is need to increase awareness through
radios, trainings, extension services and there is a possibility of raising funds from these
communities for continued wetland protection. | en |
