G. Acharya et Eb. Barbier, Valuing groundwater recharge through agricultural production in the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands in northern Nigeria, AGR ECON, 22(3), 2000, pp. 247-259
This study applies a production function approach to value the groundwater
recharge function of the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands in northern Nigeria. The gr
oundwater recharge function supports dry season agricultural production whi
ch is dependent on groundwater abstraction for irrigation. Using survey dat
a this paper first carries out an economic valuation of agricultural produc
tion, per hectare of irrigated land. We then value the recharge function as
an environmental input into the dry season agricultural production and der
ive appropriate welfare change measures. Welfare change is calculated using
the estimated production functions and hypothetical changes in groundwater
recharge and hence, groundwater levels. By focusing on agricultural produc
tion dependent solely on groundwater resources from the shallow aquifer, th
is study establishes that the groundwater recharge function of the wetlands
is of significant importance for the floodplain. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science
B,V. All rights reserved.