Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) for Agricultural Wastes in the Area of Central Macedonia in Greece

Abstract

The present study investigates the tendency of farmers in the greater area of Central Macedonia in Greece, to participate in a program of environmental management. The aim is to determine the amount of Willingness to Pay (WtA) against which the farmers would be willing to allow anyone to gather and carry away the leftovers of theirfarming exploitation. This is the first step towards the estimation of initial capital for the activation of a collaborative scheme of utilisation of disposable agricultural biomass. The agricultural leftovers are considered as an environmental non-market economic commodity. The evaluation of the value is carried out by means of the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). By the term Biomass we mean the biodegradable products fraction, wastes and leftovers coming from agricultural, plants and animal substances inclusive, the forestall and the like industrial plant, as well as the biodegradable fraction of industrial wastes and urban effluents and sewage wastes. We conclude that the minimum amount each interviewee is willing to accept as minimal remuneration, is affected by the way these biomass leftovers are managed, the age of the interviewees and the area in which they live. Those interviewees who use such biomass leftovers in alternative applications wish to be remunerated higher compared to those who relinquish such leftovers.