Household Willingness to Pay for the Control of Ipomoea Plant Species and Its Influencing Factors: Evidence from Kajiado Central Sub-County, Southern Kenya

Abstract

Communal grazing lands are essential for livelihood and food security in pastoralist regions like Kajiado County, Kenya, where communities heavily depend on livestock production. However, with progressive land-use change, biological invasions have increased over the past decade. The invasive Ipomoea plant species in Kajiado County has led to the loss of grazing land, threatening the long-term livelihood and food security of the community. This study aimed to (1) characterize households’ willingness to pay for the control of the Ipomoea species, (2) estimate households’ mean willingness to pay, and (3) determine the factors influencing households’ willingness to pay. Data from 267 households were collected using a multistage sampling procedure across three wards in Kajiado Central Sub-county: Purko, Dalalekutuk, and Illdamat, that were later cleaned and analysed using SPSS version 27 and STATA version 17, respectively. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and a double-bounded dichotomous choice under the CVM approach with a Seemingly Unrelated bivariate probit model was employed to estimate mean WTP and the factors influencing households’ WTP. Out of 260 valid responses, 81.15% expressed willingness to pay cash in Kenyan shilling. The model results showed that the mean willingness to pay was 9541.44 KES per year. The results showed that initial and follow-up bid amounts, livestock ownership, access to extension services, the household’s primary livelihood activities, and family size were significant variables that influence WTP. The study recommends that policymakers should consider these variables and community participation when designing effective strategies for managing the spread of invasive plant species and enhancing the resilience of pastoral systems.