Ranking policies to achieve sustainable stocking rates in Inner Mongolia

ABSTRACT

Different mixes of the same policy attributes at different levels can deliver different ecological and social results. The prediction and assessment of policy impacts can help policy makers make better decision. Using the results of a contingent behaviour study, the ability of alternative policy instruments to reduce stocking rates in Inner Mongolia to levels that are regarded as ecologically sustainable is assessed. The policy mixes that are shown to satisfy the ecological criteria are then ranked using a choice model in terms of their utility relative to what the current policy mix provides herders. Only, policy mixes that combine incentives (such as increased pensions, more generous loan provisions and greater subsidies) with penalties (including increased monitoring and enforcement of stocking rate rules) are able to achieve both the stocking rate reduction and herder utility improvement goals.

KEYWORDS:

• Grasslands
• policy
• choice modelling
• contingent behaviour

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The ASC accounts for any variation across choices that is not explained by the attributes and the social-economic characteristics.

2 These benefits may include reductions in the incidence of sand storms experienced and improvements in the aesthetics of the grasslands (Zhang, Bennett, and Qiao 2019).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under [grant number ADP/2012/107]; National Natural Science Foundation of China under [grant number 71774162]; Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia under [grant number 2018MS07007].