Abstract
Mangroves are recognized as a provider of a variety of products and essential ecosystem services that contribute significantly to the livelihood of local communities. However, over the past decades, mangroves in many tropical areas including the Takalar district, South Sulawesi have degraded and decreased mainly due to conversion to aquaculture. Currently, little is known about the economic benefits of commercialization of aquaculture as compared to those derived from mangroves in the form of products and services. Here, we estimate the Total Economic Value (TEV) of mangrove benefits in order to compare it with the benefit value of commercial aquaculture. Market prices, replacement costs, benefit transfer value and Cost-Benefit Analyses (CBA) have been used for value determination and comparison. The results show that the per year TEV of mangroves in the study area (Takalar district, South Sulawesi) was in the range of 4370 thousands USD (kUSD) to 10,597 kUSD or 4 kUSD to 8 kUSD per hectare (the highest value contribution derived from the indirect use value (94%)), whereas commercial aquaculture had a net benefit value of 228 kUSD or 3 kUSD per hectare. In addition, the comparison of Net Present Value (NPV) between the benefit value of mangroves and that of commercial aquaculture revealed that conversion of mangroves into commercial aquaculture was not economically beneficial when the analysis was expanded to cover the costs of environmental and forest rehabilitation.
Highlights
One of the crucial issues in development based on the use of natural resources is how to integrate economic development on the one hand with natural resources and environmental sustainability on the other in order to mitigate negative impacts and problems in the future [1]
This study has demonstrated that the economic benefit value of mangrove exceeds the economic benefit value of commercial aquaculture in the Takalar district, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
The highest contribution of the TEV (Total Economic Value) of mangroves was found to be derived from the Indirect Use Value (IUV)
Summary
One of the crucial issues in development based on the use of natural resources is how to integrate economic development on the one hand with natural resources and environmental sustainability on the other in order to mitigate negative impacts and problems in the future [1]. Failure to take into account the costs and benefits of the use of natural resources, which leads to negligence in decision-making, is still common and currently we are facing an increasing scarcity of the resources necessary to support local livelihoods [3]. Mangroves, which are considered an important natural resource, occupy coastal and estuarine areas in many tropical places, provide goods and services for both direct use (e.g., timber, firewood, charcoal, Nypa palm leaves for crafting, wood chips, fisheries, food, medicines, material construction and tourism and recreational areas) and indirect use (e.g., coastline protection, prevention of seawater intrusion, provision of nursery and breeding grounds for fish, supply of nutrients for marine life, biodiversity maintenance and carbon sequestration) that have contributed significantly to community livelihoods [4]. Mangrove products and services are often undervalued [7,8] or even ignored in the economy and by industry and local inhabitants [9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
