AN ECONOMIC VALUATION OF KINGWAL WETLAND’S BENEFITS AND COSTS TO THE LOCAL PEOPLE, NANDI COUNTY, KENYA.

Abstract

Wetlands are important ecosystems that support biodiversity and livelihoods. This study was conducted in and around Kingwal wetland located in Nandi County, Kenya in January and February, 2018. Besides the wetland providing economic benefits among others to the local people, it also brings costs to the people which have facilitated various disadvantages leading to its destruction. Despite this no comprehensive research has been done to analyze and document its benefits and costs to local people, as well as the wetland’s economic value yet this is necessary to enable people understand the wetland’s importance to them so as to minimize its destruction and hence this study was necessary. The main objective of the study was to carry out an economic valuation of the wetland’s benefits and costs to the local people. The target population incorporated local residents living around the wetland, area chiefs/sub chiefs, staff from KWS, NEMA and Nandi County officials. Stratified random sampling was used to divide the study area into three namely upper, middle and lower Kingwal. Systematic random sampling was employed to pick respondents in upper and lower Kingwal while simple random sampling was used in middle Kingwal. In total, 240 respondents were given questionnaires to fill. Purposive sampling was used in selecting key informants for interviews. Data was collected using questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions and observations. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square and logistic regression tests. Results showed that 88.3% (χ2=141.067, df=1, p<0.001) of the respondents derived various benefits from Kingwal wetland including economic (58.3%), water (34.6%) and recreation (30%) benefits. Costs incurred by local people included crop damage by wildlife (43.7%) and flooding (32.9%). Results of the logistic regression showed that part of Kingwal inhabited by respondents (B= -0.739, df=1, p=0.005); distance from the wetland (B= -0.275, df=1, p=0.028) and average income (B= -0.643, df=1, p<0.001) influenced respondent’s WTP. 51.2% of the respondents were willing to pay for benefits they derived from the wetland. The mean household WTP per annum for Kingwal wetland’s benefits was Ksh. 549,442 (USD 5494.2). The major threats to conservation of Kingwal wetland are eucalyptus plantation (78%) and poaching (72%). A significant proportion (47.5%) of respondents indicated that fencing around the wetland can help control the movement of wild animals to and from people’s farms. It is recommended that both the county and national governments formulate and implement policies to regulate human activities in and around the wetland. Further studies should be done on multi-analysis of Kingwal wetland’s economic value using more than one method valuation.