Abstract:
The purpose of this research
was
to determine
W
illingness
T
o
P
ay (WTP) of farmers
and explore the potential factors that contr
ibute to it for agricultural extension services
in
GAP
-
Harran Plain in Turkey. A comprehensive questionnaire was conducted face to face
with
461 farmers out of 21,094
,
by the simple random sampling method
during
the
irrigation season of 2011 and validity o
f
the
data was checked until 2015 on a yearly basis.
The contingent valuation method, binomial probit and maximum likelihood methods were
used for analysis. The results indicate
d
the
existence of
the ability
to pay and the average
WTP for efficient extensi
on service based on irrigation was 475.8 TL. It is 1.28% of their
yearly income and their total WTP was calculated as $6 million per year for
the
plain.
Explanatory factors
in
the
index
, such as secondary school, high school
,
and university
graduates from
the view pint of
education
al
level, married farmers
,
and land amounts
increase
d
WTP
, while
gravity irrigation users and proposed increased bid price for
extension and training services decrease
d
WTP. The results are important for decision
and policy makers
, encourag
ing
private sectors to involve in extension and training
services
. Also, they
contain useful information for countries with similar technical and
socio
-
cultural characteristics.
Keywords
: Agricultural irrigation,
E
fficient farming,
F
armers’ train
ing,
S
ustainable income
