The Value of Agroforestry Ecosystem Services Provided in Rural Communities in the Eastern Amazon (Tomé-Açu – PA, Brazil)

Abstract

The objective of this research is to estimate the socioeconomic and environmental value of ecosystem services produced by Agroforestry Systems of Tomé-Açu in society's perception. These systems, in addition to fruits, seeds, and nuts, provide other services that are perceived by society in the form of welfare, and are not yet sold on the market. For the analysis, the Integrated Method of Contingent Valuation was employed, which contemplates the economic, social and environmental dimensions. This approach relied in the equations modelling the Willingness to Pay for the conservation of Agroforestry Systems, and Willingness to Accept a compensation for not using these systems over other commercial production systems such as oil palm and soybean. The average value of ecosystem services in the Agroforestry Systems of Tomé-Açu in the population's perception was estimated at R$ 5.011,19 ha^-1 for the Willingness to Pay and R$ 7.367,24 ha^-1 for the Willingness to Accept. This indicates the importance given by the community to the benefits generated by the ecosystem services, in a magnitude higher than the market value of the Amazon rainforest and of the production systems. Therefore, the value of these services should also integrate the payment to compensate the producers that maintain these systems in the Amazon.