The cost benefit analysis of wetland resource degradation :

Abstract

Bigajuka wetland provides a wide range of tangible and non-tangible benefits to the neighbouring communities. The tangible benefits include water for domestic and commercial use and support to crop cultivation, tree rising, provision of handicrafts among others. The non-tangible benefits include flood control, purification of water, and maintenance of the water table, microclimate moderation. The wetland also serves as a habitat for flora and fauna, has aesthetic and heritage values. The study centred on carrying out a cost benefit analysis of wetland's resource degradation with the main objective of comparing the costs of wetland resource degradation and benefits derived from the resource conservation. Specific objectives included finding out the drivers of wetlands degradation, evaluation of the ecological services rendered by Bigajuka wetland, determining the costs of wetland degradation and recommendation of policies for wetland rehabilitation/renovation. This study was both qualitative and quantitative in nature conducted in Hoima Municipality with a sample size of 65 respondents. It involved the use of questionnaires, interviews, observations and valuation methods; market price and contingent techniques for evaluation of ecological services offered by Bigajuka wetland. Data collected was processed and analysed using excel and stata software to generate pie charts, bar graphs, frequency tables and: cross tabulations at 5% level of significance. The findings of this research study were: the value of ecosystem services rendered by Bigajuka. wetland was estimated at US$ 963,866.7 per year. Societies and communities in the neighbourhood of Bigajuka wetland tend to value most the direct benefits from this wetland and under-price the indirect values.