Choice experiment approaches to measure the economic value of the multifunctionality of agriculture and rural areas

Abstract

Many studies related to the multifunctionality of agriculture and rural areas have been conducted in both the natural and social sciences. One of the research topics dealt with in agricultural economics was the economic valuation of multifunctionality. This paper reviewed three research results of the economic valuation of multifunctionality by using a choice experiment. The first study analyzed the environmental benefits of promoting ecologically friendly paddy fields. The second study measured the environmental benefits of improving agricultural canals to make them habitable for fireflies. The third study examined a way of conducting choice experiments with six or more function attributes based on a questionnaire (pencil and paper) survey. Finally, it was pointed out that collaboration with other research fields, including natural sciences, was one of the important issues for appropriately applying choice experiments to the economic valuation of multifunctionality.