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Conservation agriculture in Ecuador’s highlands: a discrete choice experiment

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  • Michael J. Barrowclough

    (Illinois State University)

  • Jeffrey Alwang

    (Virginia Polytechnic Institute)

Abstract

Conservation agriculture has successfully spread in a number of developing country contexts, resulting in both positive production and environmental impacts. However, there are ongoing questions about the appropriateness of conservation agriculture for small-scale farming as poor farmers tend to be risk averse, typically lack access to credit, and may have planning horizons associated with heavily discounted future benefits. This study investigates farmer attitudes toward how a hypothetical set of conservation agriculture production practices will affect yield, labor use, erosion, and cost in two communities of Bolivar province, Ecuador, through the implementation of a discrete choice experiment. Results show producers are most concerned with future yields, planting labor, and overall costs. While off-farm erosion impacts are of concern, producers only placed small values on these impacts. Results provide support for conservation agriculture outreach to highlight practices that increase long-run production and reduce the time and technical skills associated with planting.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael J. Barrowclough & Jeffrey Alwang, 2018. "Conservation agriculture in Ecuador’s highlands: a discrete choice experiment," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 20(6), pages 2681-2705, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:20:y:2018:i:6:d:10.1007_s10668-017-0011-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-017-0011-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tajana Čop & Mario Njavro, 2022. "Application of Discrete Choice Experiment in Agricultural Risk Management: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-17, August.
    2. Kaur, S. & Pollitt, M. G., 2024. "Output vs Input subsidies in agriculture: a discrete choice experiment to estimate farmers' preferences for rice and electricity subsidies in Punjab," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 2433, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.

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