Volume 16, Issue 4 (7-2014)
Abstract
As one of the most important products of Iran, pistachio has a significant share in non-oil revenues. Its annual foreign exchange earnings are over 800 million dollars. However, production of this nut in the country’s major production centers is faced with many problems regarding the efficiency and productivity of the inputs. This study was performed by using two-stage cluster sampling method. The results showed that with the increase in energy carriers’ prices, the farmers of the region would tend to use the optimal amounts of inputs in the long term, thus, reducing energy consumption from 46,016.72 to 31,092 MJ ha-1. Also, the present values of energy productivity, its efficiency, and specific energy of, respectively, 0.03, 0.42, and 35.05 MJ kg-1 would be optimized to 0.07, 1.10 and 13.47 MJ kg-1. Besides, it was revealed that the net energy, which was negative under the existing condition (-26,532 MJ), would increase to 3,160 MJ following the increase in the price of energy carriers. Above all, the non-renewable energy consumption would be reduced from 39,743 to 26,457 MJ. Of course, to achieve the mentioned results, government support of farmers in the short term is necessary in order to facilitate and expedite the change in technology.
Volume 25, Issue 2 (2-2023)
Abstract
One way to better appreciate the value of rangelands with the purpose of developing better policies and make sustainable use of these resources is to determine the monetary valuation of the ecosystem services of these rangelands. Thus, the present study aimed to estimate the economic values of provisioning and regulating services of Rig Ishaqabad Rangeland in Kerman Province, Iran. To this end, samples of the soil and vegetation cover of the region were taken. Following conduction of various experiments, the type and texture of the soil and its content of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium nutrients, the soil erosion coefficient, and the amount of carbon absorption for each vegetation type were determined. Then, the monetary values of forage production, carbon absorption, oxygen production, soil production, nutrient absorption, and erosion prevention were estimated using the Revealed Preference Approach. According to the findings, in 2019, the total economic value of the rangeland's services was USD 0.54 million; and the values of provisioning and regulating services were USD 260,102.85 and 283,841.77, respectively. In addition, the economic value of vegetation types of Artemisia sieberi-Denderostellera lessertii (Ar si-De Le), Denderostellera lessertii- Peganum harmala (De le-Pe ha), Cousinia congesta (Co co), Calligonum polygonoides- Astragalus sp (Capo- As sp), Artemisia Sieberi-Peganum harmala (Ar si-Pe ha) were USD 115,466.42, 159,045.6, 54,815.14, 85,220.66, and 129,396.78, respectively. Based on the results, the De le-Pe ha vegetation type was of the highest value with a value of 49.07 US dollars per hectare. The calculated monetary values can be a useful tool in determining the long-term rental rate of this rangeland and determine the amount of investment to preserve or restore it.