Determining farmer’s preferences for land use practices under payment for environmental services in Lake Naivasha basin-Kenya

This paper evaluates determinants of farmer’s preference for sustainable land use practices under Payment for Environmental Services (PES) scheme in three sub-counties of Nakuru County in Kenya. Data were collected from 200 randomly selected farmers. Choice modeling related to preference technique based on random utility theory was applied to analyze data. Results show 93% of farmers were influenced to implement PES and 61.5% preferred practices with particular attributes such as provisions of fodder for livestock, soil retention, soil and water conservation. The PES practice choice was influenced significantly by household socio-economic characteristics including gender, income, soil retention and fertility. This study recommends for increased awareness creation and training on PES concept benefits among farmers and private sector. The awareness will enable farmers make informed farm practice choices. PES farm practices with positive attributes on agro-ecosystems restoration and farmer’s socio-economic considerations needs to be promoted as incentives for PES interventions adoption. The study further recommends involvement of more private sector to invest in PES voluntary scheme and the need for stakeholders to integrate PES concept in agriculture extension to ensure more farmers participation for improved farm productivity on scale and to sustain PES practices. This study propose for the government to institutionalize PES as national natural resource policy to enhance sustainable ecosystems management for provision of environmental services and economic development in the long run. This will strengthen PES promotion as conservation and livelihood enhancement tool in other watershed in Kenya.