Date of Graduation

Spring 5-18-2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in International and Development Economics (MSIDEC)

College/School

College of Arts and Sciences

Department/Program

Economics

First Advisor

Elizabeth Katz

Second Advisor

Bruce Wydick

Abstract

Peru is facing increasing homogenization of traditional crops as a result of international market pressures. Destruction of the genetic resource base creates vulnerability to disease, climate, and pest shocks which threaten food security and the economic future of Peru’s agricultural sector. This paper aims to determine whether informational priming on the non-market value of national identity is sufficient to change the willingness to pay for agro biodiversity programs among the Peruvian general population in both urban and rural areas. A choice set willingness to pay experiment combined with choice rankings and randomized priming measures how much individuals are willing to contribute to conservation programs, whether national identity is a factor which affects the amount they are willing to pay, and which factors ofconservation they prefer. By offering an opportunity to donate a part of participation payments to a conservation group, the experiment also examines whether hypothetical stated preference measures of the non- use value of an environmental public good are incentive compatible.

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