Do Contingent Contributions Imply Contingent Valuations? Assessing Willingness to Contribute to Local Public Goods in Kenya

Abstract

"Tsetse-transmitted trypanosomiasis is a parasitic disease that affects the health of people and animals across much of Africa. While several traps and targets have been developed to suppress tsetse, there have been few examples of self-sustaining 'community-based' programmes. We are assessing the prospects for community-based tsetse control in Busia District, Kenya.

"A contingent valuation survey was implemented to assess willingness to contribute money and labour to tsetse control in 6 villages. Respondents were presented with a hypothetical situation and questioned about the maximum amounts of money and/or labour they would be willing to contribute if the situation became real. Econometric techniques were used to test hypotheses about factors affecting the types and levels of contributions individuals were willing to make.

"Two villages were then selected to receive assistance to implementing tsetse control. Those villages have been engaged in a participatory process of education and mobilization for tsetse control. Community organizations have been formed and decisions taken at village meetings. A survey of 'planned contributions' was conducted after decisions about the amount of money each household would contribute were made. Actual contributions are being monitored, particularly for the 60 households included in the initial survey. The results show marked differences between contingent, planned and actual contributions. While useful for planning purposes, we postulate that none of those measures reflect the contingent or actual value of the control."