Evaluating willingness to pay for watershed protection in Ndaka-Ini Dam, Murang’a County, Kenya

Abstract

Payment for Environmental Services is an incentive based approach in natural resource management linking the suppliers and consumers of goods and services from a natural resource in a way that both parties contribute to improved delivery Nairobi City gets 80% of water supply from Ndakaini dam but few of the residents are able to link availability of clean water in their pipes to conservation of water catchments areas. The objective of the study was to find out whether users of water from Ndaka-ini dam could participate in watershed protection scheme through Payment for Water Services. The study identified factors that could influence willingness of water users to pay for the environment services. Primary and secondary data were collected based on baseline survey and qualitative research approaches, interview schedules, questionnaires and, focus group discussions.  Results showed that 83% of farmers are willing to participate in scheme aimed at improving conservation. There was significant relationship between source of water and amount of money they could give but attached condition of clean and regular water. The government could make use of the findings of the study to develop a payment of environment service model for Ndakaini dam.