Willingness to pay for water management to support sustainable food production in tidal lowlands of South Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract

Operations and maintenance (OM) of water infrastructure cannot be separated from the role of farmers' water users associations (WUA) or farmer groups. OM needs to be supported not only skillfully but also financially. This research aimed to assess and identify several factors affecting self-financing in water management in tidal lowlands agriculture, using the Willingness To Pay (WTP) approach. The sample size of this research was 245 respondents, all of which are active members of WUA or farmer groups. Primary data were collected using direct interviews with structured questionnaires, and secondary data were collected from some related agencies. The data were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Multiple Linear Regression analyses. Regression analysis formally tested the factors and identified the selected significant factors. KMO and Bartlett's Test result was 0.587 > 0.5 (alpha), indicating significance. The R² (0.86) showed that the independent variables simultaneously explained the dependent variable (Y_WTP). From seven independent variables, five variables significantly affect the willingness to pay for water management. This WTP is expected to ensure sustainable food production in tidal lowlands since water availability is crucial in tidal lowland agriculture