Using economic valuation to understand public perceptions of mangrove forests benefits in liberia

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING NHA TRANG UNIVERSITY _ JOHN FORKPA KANNAH USING ECONOMIC VALUATION TO UNDERSTAND PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF MANGROVE FORESTS BENEFITS IN LIBERIA MASTER THESIS KHANH HOA – 2018 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING NHA TRANG UNIVERSITY _ John Forkpa Kannah Using Economic Valuation to Understand Public Perceptions of Mangrove Forests Benefits in Liberia MASTER THESIS Code: Marine Ecosystem Based Management and Climate Change 58CH156 Topic allocation Decision 1006/QD-DHNT Decision on establishing the Committee: Defense date: Supervisors: 5th June 2018 Major: PROF MARGRETHE AANESEN DR SAMUEL N KOFFA Chairman: Dr Le Kim Long Faculty of Graduate Studies: KHANH HOA – 2018 UNDERTAKING By the candidate: I declare that the thesis entitled Using Economic Valuation to Understand Public Perceptions of Mangrove Forests Benefits in Liberia: is my original work The work has not been presented elsewhere for assessment until the time this thesis is submitted Nha Trang University, 25th June 1985 John Forkpa Kannah iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT In this endeavor, first and foremost my appreciation to God Almighty under whose canopy I continue to be granted grace and many blessings I thank my supervisors Professor Margrethe Aanesen and Dr Samuel N Koffa for their support and guidance through this work This work could not have been possible without their brilliant ideas they gave me I am forever grateful to Nha Trang University, NORAD, and the University of Liberia for the opportunity granted me, through their scholarship to enable me pursue this master degree at Nha Trang University in Vietnam I also extend my appreciation to Professor William K Desbordes for pushing me so high to be at this master Programme I am especially grateful to Professor Weadeh Kobbah Boley the Vice President for Administration of the University of Liberia for the encouragement and words of wisdom offered and for standing tough in the midst of all odds to get me at Nha Trang University, and also to my classmate Ali Swaleh Aboud for his brotherly advice I am also grateful to the moments of discouragement for making me strong to overcome especially when unnecessary conditions force one to be strong Most importantly, it is said that “the end of every matter is best” I can not submit my thesis without acknowledging the role of Hon Benjamin S Karmorh Sr for his kind assistance and tremendous support in getting me an office space to sit and work And all of you that I can not mention by name, I am grateful Many thanks go to my family especially my mother Yarmah K Gleh for their moral and financial support during my stay away from home Most importantly, my appreciation to my wife Johnette M Kannah for her continues prayers and encouragement for my success I also want to appreciate Sandra Samuel, Jallah Arku and Prince Gboneh, my research assistants, who helped me through my data collection which have graciously resulted in the production of this thesis Finally, I would like to thank my fellow course-mates the entire Cohort II for their individual supports and valuable friendship during the time of this degree Nha Trang University, 25th June 1985 John Forkpa Kannah iv TABLE OF CONTENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .iv LIST OF ABREVIATIONS vii DEFINITIONS OF TERMS viii LIST OF FIGURES x LIST OF GRAPHS xi LIST OF APPENDIX xii ABSTRACT xiii CHAPTER ONE .1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Information 1.2 Statement of the Problem 1.3 Significance of the Study 1.4 Research Objectives 1.5 Research Questions 1.6 Research Hypothesis CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.2 Mangrove and its Distribution 2.2 Socio-Economics importance of mangroves in western Liberia 2.3 Threats towards mangroves 2.4 Conservation Measures of mangroves 2.5 Climate Change issues and policy strategies 2.6 Contingent Valuation Method in analyzing perception v 2.7 Assessment mechanism for the communities in and around the Lake Piso Multiple Use Reserve in Grand Cape Mount County 10 MATERIALS AND METHODS 13 3.1 Study area 13 3.2 Sampling Design 14 3.3 Sampling Approach 15 3.4 Sample 16 3.5 Data Sources 17 3.6 Data Analysis 18 CHAPTER FOUR 19 RESULTS .19 4.1 Socio – demographic data 19 4.2 Climate Change Knowledge 21 4.3 Willingness to pay (WTP) to protect mangroves 22 4.4 Correlation between mangroves threats and willingness to pay to protect them 23 CHAPTER FIVE 25 5.1 Discussion 25 5.2 Conclusion 27 REFERENCES .28 APPENDIX A vi LIST OF ABREVIATIONS BAU Business as Usual BUR Bienniel Update Report CV Contingent Valuation EPA Environmental Protection Agency FDA Forestry Development Authority FGD Focus Group Discussion GOL Government of Liberia IBAs Important Bird Areas INC Initial National Communication INDC Intended Nationally Determined Contributions IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change LD Liberian Dollars LISGIS Liberia Institute of Statistic and Geo-information Services MEA Millennium Ecosystem Assessment NAPs National Adaptation Plans NDC Nationally Determined Contribution NGOs Non – Government Organization SNC Second National Communication UNDP United Nations Development Programme United UNEP United Nations Environment Programme WTP Willingness to Pay vii DEFINITIONS OF TERMS I Public – the people residing in and around the Lake Piso Multiple Use Reserve, II Perception of ecosystem benefits - the awareness and attitudes of the local communities about the benefits and conservation of mangroves, climate change, and ecosystem III Benefit- in terms of their well-being and the goods derived from mangrove forests, IV “Mangroves are trees, shrubs, palms or ground ferns, generally exceeding more than half a meter in height, and which normally grow above mean sea level in the intertidal zones of marine coastal environments, or estuarine margins The term – mangrove can refer to either the constituent plants of tropical intertidal forest communities or to the community itself.” (Duke et al., 2009) V Climate Change – is the change in existing climate patterns over a long period VI “Contingent Valuation Method (CV) – is a survey - based approach use to put an economic value on goods that are not ordinary bought and sold in the marketplace (Carson, 2001)” VII General public- are those who not involve directly in fishing activity, charcoal production and fish drying/selling but are members of the community viii LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1: The total number of males and females distributed in eight villages 17 Table 4.1: Socio – demographic information of the respondents 20 Table 4.2: Basic knowledge of climate change and its connection to mangrove ecosystems/forests 22 Table 4.3: Willingness to pay for the conservation of mangrove ecosystem ((n=200) …233 Table 4.4: Pearson’s correlation coefficient between mangroves threats and willingness to pay 244 ix LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1: Map showing mangrove forest distribution from Lake Piso to Cape Palmas (Source: Mangroves of West Africa) 07 Figure 2.2: Conceptual Framework for this study (the dashed shaped outline is not directly covered in this study) 12 Figure 3.1: Map showing the study area in Grand Cape Mount County (Source; google earth) 133 Figure 3.2: A pictorial showing discussion with chiefs, viewing mangroves and interview 15 Figure 3.3: A pictorial showing a focus group discussion in a Town hall to select respondents 16 x a I agree, I disagree, I don’t know SECTION 2: Now, I am going to ask you some questions about the way you see mangrove forest protection in your community (Remember the story I told you about the government plan to protect all mangrove areas?) Would you ready to pay anything to help in the conservation of mangroves of your area? Yes No I don’t know Suppose you were ask how much your family would be willing to pay as a one-time payment this year and this year only to extend the protected area Would you pay? LD 0, LD 100, LD 150, LD 200, LD 250, LD 300, LD 350, LD 400, LD 450, LD 500, LD 600, LD 700, LD 800, LD 900, LD1,000, LD1,500, LD2,000, LD2,500, LD3,000, LD 3500, LD 4000, LD 4500, LD5,000 LD 6,000 LD 7,000, LD 8,000, LD 9,000, LD 10,000 SECTION: Now, I am going to ask you some questions about climate change Have you heard about Climate Change? a Yes No, I don’t know How much you know about Climate change? a Much, Some, Little, I don’t know What is climate change? Options: A Climate change is the change in existing climate patterns over a long period B Climate change is the change in existing climate patterns over a short period C: I don’t know B PERSONAL INFORMATION Now I would like to ask you some questions about who you are Gender: Age: 10 Occupation: _ 11 Marital status: 12 Which level did you finish in school? Primary school, secondary school, senior secondary school, College, vocational education, never had been to school 13 Beside this job, what other activities you for your living? 14 Are you the head of the household? Yes No 15 How long have you been living in this community? A months to year B – ears C – 15 years D I was born here and been living here since 16 How many people are there in your household? 17 How many children (younger than 16/18 years _) and how many grown ups (older than 16/18 years _)? 18 Which of the followings is a source of your livelihood? Please choose multiple that apply to you Fishing, farming, charcoal production, firewood gathering, drying fish, selling fish, hunting, selling assorted items Thanks for your time! C ...MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING NHA TRANG UNIVERSITY _ John Forkpa Kannah Using Economic Valuation to Understand Public Perceptions of Mangrove Forests Benefits in Liberia. .. understanding for and interest in the conservation of mangrove forests, its importance and knowledge about climate change and its link to mangrove decline An understanding of individual needs and... reduce loss of mangrove forests in western Liberia The study will contribute to the conservation of mangrove forests as this study is probably the first of its kind to be carried out in these communities