Farmers’ preferences and willingness to incorporate silvopastoral systems in Uruguay

Agricultural production occupies large territory extensions, influencing the supply of Environmental Services (ES) and the levels of welfare and utility obtained by rural population. In Uruguay, extensive livestock on native grasslands is the most common form of Land Use and Land Cover, and is related to the conservation of this local ecosystem and its ES. Nonetheless, the emission of greenhouse gases and the animal thermal discomfort are environmental aspects of concern from these production systems. The use of integrated tree-animal-pasture systems, in silvopastoral designs, is a strategy to fulfill these environmental considerations. Besides biophysical aspects, social preferences are important factors influencing the ES from the agroecosystems. The farmers’ preferences for environmental-productive conditions and managements can generate relevant information for land management. This research aimed to assess the valuation of local farmers for the ES of SPS and their willingness to incorporate areas of silvopasture. The hypotheses evaluated were: farmers positively value the ES once certain levels of livestock productivity are obtained; farmers’ willingness to incorporate Silvopastoral Systems (SPS) are related to their farms’ structure and management. The preferences of 27 individuals were assessed using surveys with Discrete Choice (DC) and Contingent Valuation (CV) experiments, including environmental-productive scenarios of silvopasture and conventional extensive livestock. The results of the DC experiment indicated significant trade-offs among the ES, with farmers assigning greater utility levels to animal thermal comfort and livestock productivity. This analysis also indicated a tolerance of farmers to reduce up to 20% of the stocking rate in silvopastoral areas in order to obtain greater animal thermal comfort. The results of the hypothetical CV experiment showed a positive willingness from farmers to participate in a program of economic incentive for silvopastoral production. Their preferences indicated the use of reduced fractions from their properties for incorporating SPS on areas of lower livestock productivity, with lower opportunity costs. The results obtained suggest that SPS can elevate the levels of utility obtained by local farmers and the accomplishment of specific environmental and productive demands from the agricultural sector.