6 research outputs found
Evaluating Stakeholder Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Ecosystem Services in Kole Wetlands of Kerala for Effective Conservation Planning
Get PDFKole wetlands in Kerala are a multifunctional sub-sea level wetland rice agroecosystem with high ecological significance and are one of the most productive as well as threatened wetland in the State. This study attempts to identify the various ecosystem services provided by the Kole wetlands and examine the stakeholder priority for ecosystem services through preference ranking analysis using Garrett’s ranking method. Payment card method was used to estimate the stakeholder willingness to contribute for the conservation in terms of willingness to pay (WTP) and analysed the factors that affect their WTP using an ordinary least square regression model. The data were collected from 50 stakeholders equally representing the major stakeholder groups from three block panchayaths having highest Kole wetland area. The study identified 20 ecosystem services supplied by Kole wetlands illustrating its multifunctional vital role in sustaining ecological and human systems. Stakeholders prioritised the water-related ecosystem services such as groundwater recharge and flood water regulation as the most important service reflecting its critical importance in daily life and agriculture. Estimated mean annual WTP was Rs.211 indicating a general willingness among stakeholders to contribute financially to conservation efforts, as a coping strategy for water related natural disasters. Stakeholder group, Kole tourists were willing to contribute highest amount with mean annual WTP of Rs.248, expecting an improvement of recreational amenities in tourist spots. Stakeholders with higher incomes, larger land holdings, and greater awareness are more willing to pay for the conservation of the Kole wetlands. The insights from the study are valuable for guiding conservation strategies and resource allocation, along with ensuring the supply of essential services and exploring the opportunities for economic diversification, that are crucial to secure necessary financial and non-financial support for the management of Kole wetland ecosystem in a sustainable way
Primary trader preferences for participating in high-value markets in Black Pepper- A choice analysis
Get PDFFacilitating the integration of primary traders into modern agricultural value chains, known as high-value markets (HVMs), presents a promising avenue for improving the sustainability of black pepper value chains in Kerala. Due to increased price volatility and risk exposure in trading conditions, primary traders are hesitant to prioritize quality aspects in their procurement decisions. A Best-Worst Scaling (BWS) experiment was employed with traders in the Agro-ecological units (AEUs) 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20 and 21 of Kerala to comprehend their preferences regarding quality attributes that could promote sustained participation in HVMs. This study incorporates a unique aspect by examining the consistency of choices between the best and worst options, providing deeper insights into traders\u27 decision-making processes and ensuring an accurate evaluation of preferences by minimizing biases. The choice experiment utilized fractional factorial and balanced incomplete block designs. The results indicate that traders predominantly favour a flexible, incentive-based pricing model and long-term formal relationships with buyers. Conversely, traders consistently rated premium payments and certification as the least favourable market attributes. Preference variations were influenced by traders\u27 experience, income levels and location. The results reveal that primary traders possess the least understanding of factors that may facilitate their entry into HVMs. Our findings underscore the significance of educating traders on crucial market attributes that facilitate their participation in HVMs. Further research on their willingness to adapt to the requirements of HVMs to maximize the benefits to the system
Smallholder farmer’s preferences for sustained participation in high –value markets for black pepper in Kerala, India
Get PDFThe sustainability concerns of the developed world together with increased tourism activities and migration have stimulated the growth and expansion of domestic and international High Value Markets (HVMs) of black pepper. This study is an attempt to identify the transactional attributes and farmer capabilities that influence the smallholder farmers’ willingness to participate in black pepper HVMs and to examine the novel vertical integration mechanisms that connect them to HVMs. The study is based on primary data from randomly selected 198 smallholder farmers from eight prominent black pepper growing Agro-ecological Units (AEUs) in Kerala. The factors influencing the smallholder farmers’ willingness to participate in black pepper HVMs were analysed in logistic regression framework. The trend analysis revealed the growth in black pepper cultivation area as well as export at national level, while a stagnation trend in area was observed at state level. A negative trend was observed in production as well as productivity at national and state levels. The results of percentage analysis of willingness of small holder farmers to participate in HVMs shows that 32.83% of smallholder farmers were willing to participate in black pepper HVMs . The farmer capabilities such as number of international linkages and digital literacy and transactional attributes such as asset specificity and number of verticals integrated were found to be significantly influencing smallholder farmers’ willingness to participate in HVMs. The study suggest that change agents may implement interventions to enhance the existing co-ordination mechanisms by exploiting the possibilities of digitisation and digital transformation. Also, efficient measures are required to protect farmers’ rights on the asset specific resources and to mitigate unfavourable agroecological transformations that hinder the production of site-specific assets that ensures sustainable value chain for black pepper high value products
Putting the Family First: Chinese Wives’ Stories of Migration to Britain
Get PDFWith the increasing outflow of migrants from mainland China, many professional Chinese men have been coming to Britain for further education and employment. Their wives frequently give up their own jobs and come to the UK as following spouses, in order to assist their husbands with their educational and career advancement. Little research has been done on Chinese women overseas in general, and there are even fewer studies on Chinese trailing wives. The aim of my thesis is to apply feminist perspectives to interpret the migration experiences of these Chinese wives. Drawing upon interviews with 22 Chinese wives, I explore and interpret the data to reveal the importance of wifely duty during four different stages of their migration process: their deliberations about coming to Britain, their efforts to set up new homes, their financial and emotional support of their husbands and their becoming family dependants after their husbands’ careers are established in the UK. In analysing the interview material, I drew on Delphy and Leonard’s account of the marriage contract and the exploitation of women’s labour in the family. I argue that, as these women are followers in the migration process, they prioritised the interest of the family. By viewing this migration as a contract; they saw their investment in their husbands as a way to further the interests of the family as a whole. Their internalised traditional roles led to their achievement of self-realisation through the success of their husbands/family. These women’s ‘self-sacrifice’, in turn, bound them more tightly to their traditional roles in the family and to their subordinate status
